The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Rouse \Rouse\ (rouz or rous), v. i. & t. [Perhaps the same word
   as rouse to start up, "buckle to."] (Naut.)
   To pull or haul strongly and all together, as upon a rope,
   without the assistance of mechanical appliances.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Rouse \Rouse\ (rouz), n. [Cf. D. roes drunkeness, icel. r[=u]ss,
   Sw. rus, G. rauchen, and also E. rouse, v.t., rush, v.i. Cf.
   Row a disturbance.]
   1. A bumper in honor of a toast or health. [Obs.] --Shak.
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   2. A carousal; a festival; a drinking frolic.
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            Fill the cup, and fill the can,
            Have a rouse before the morn.         --Tennyson.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Rouse \Rouse\, v. i.
   1. To get or start up; to rise. [Obs.]
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            Night's black agents to their preys do rouse.
                                                  --Shak.
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   2. To awake from sleep or repose.
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            Morpheus rouses from his bed.         --Pope.
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   3. To be exited to thought or action from a state of
      indolence or inattention.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Rouse \Rouse\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Roused (rouzd); p. pr. &
   vb. n. Rousing.] [Probably of Scan. origin; cf. Sw. rusa to
   rush, Dan. ruse, AS. hre['o]san to fall, rush. Cf. Rush,
   v.]
   1. To cause to start from a covert or lurking place; as, to
      rouse a deer or other animal of the chase.
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            Like wild boars late roused out of the brakes.
                                                  --Spenser.
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            Rouse the fleet hart, and cheer the opening hound.
                                                  --Pope.
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   2. To wake from sleep or repose; as, to rouse one early or
      suddenly.
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   3. To excite to lively thought or action from a state of
      idleness, languor, stupidity, or indifference; as, to
      rouse the faculties, passions, or emotions.
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            To rouse up a people, the most phlegmatic of any in
            Christendom.                          --Atterbury.
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   4. To put in motion; to stir up; to agitate.
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            Blustering winds, which all night long
            Had roused the sea.                   --Milton.
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   5. To raise; to make erect. [Obs.] --Spenser. Shak.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

rouse
    v 1: become active; "He finally bestirred himself" [syn:
         bestir, rouse]
    2: force or drive out; "The police routed them out of bed at 2
       A.M." [syn: rout out, drive out, force out, rouse]
    3: cause to be agitated, excited, or roused; "The speaker
       charged up the crowd with his inflammatory remarks" [syn:
       agitate, rouse, turn on, charge, commove, excite,
       charge up] [ant: calm, calm down, lull, quiet,
       quieten, still, tranquilize, tranquillise,
       tranquillize]
    4: cause to become awake or conscious; "He was roused by the
       drunken men in the street"; "Please wake me at 6 AM." [syn:
       awaken, wake, waken, rouse, wake up, arouse]
       [ant: cause to sleep]