Word: rouse

Associations

"Rouse" means to awaken or stir someone from sleep or inactivity. It can also refer to inciting emotions or actions.

• Example 1: "The loud alarm will rouse you from your slumber." This means the alarm will wake you up.
• Example 2: "She tried to rouse his interest in reading." Here, it means she is trying to spark his interest.
• Example 3: "The speech roused the crowd to excitement." This shows the speech stirred strong feelings in the audience.

A well-known synonym is "awaken." The main difference is "awaken" typically just means to stop sleeping, while "rouse" involves a more active stirring or excitement that can also include emotions.

Substitution

Other words that could be used instead of "rouse" include:

• "wake" - more straightforward; just means to stop sleeping.
• "stimulate" - implies encouraging action or interest, but in a more intellectual or emotional context.
• "excite" - focuses more on generating strong feelings or enthusiasm.

Using "wake" would only mean stopping sleep, while "stimulate" and "excite" may not imply physical awakening.

Deconstruction

The word "rouse" has Old English origins from "rūsian," which means to stir or awaken. There are no prefixes or suffixes in this word that change its root meaning.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when you needed to rouse someone from sleep? What did you do?
• How about situations where you tried to rouse someone's interest in a topic?
• What feelings does the word "rouse" bring up for you? Do you think of energy, excitement, or something else?