Dictionary

arouse en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /əˈɹaʊz/ (Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
• (California, Southern) audio
• /əˈɹæɔz/ (Australia)

Etymology

Etymology tree English a- Middle English rousen English rouse English arouse From a- + rouse.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To stimulate or induce (feelings); pique.
   • Those insults aroused me to anger.
   • “My tastes,” he said, still smiling, “incline me to the garishly sunlit side of this planet.” And, to tease her and arouse her to combat: “I prefer a farandole to a nocturne ; I'd rather have a painting than an etching ; Mr. Whistler bores me with his monochromatic mud; I don't like dull colours, dull sounds, dull intellects;[…].” 1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter VIII, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:
   • She removed Stranleigh’s coat with a dexterity that aroused his imagination. 1913, Robert Barr, chapter 5, in Lord Stranleigh Abroad:
   • His unruly hair was slicked down with water, and as Jessamy introduced him to Miss Brindle his face assumed a cherubic innocence which would immediately have aroused the suspicions of anyone who knew him. 1967, Barbara Sleigh, Jessamy, Sevenoaks, Kent: Bloomsbury, published 1993, →ISBN, page 96:
   • to arouse compassion, jealousy, or anger
2. (transitive) To sexually stimulate.
   • […] grinding against their partners like burlesque performers, which even in parody Terry found erotic—reminding him of the Persian belly dancer he'd seen at the college, whose sensual dancing aroused him despite her claim of high art. 2006, Donald J. Young, Dancing by the Shore, page 12:
3. (euphemistic, transitive) To sexually stimulate. ▸ To cause an erection of the penis or other physical signs of sexual arousal, such as fluid secretion.
   • I can't wear wool underwear: it tends to arouse me at inappropriate times.
4. (transitive) To wake from sleep or stupor; to rouse.
   • 1996, Beruga (line translated by Dan Owsen), Terranigma. Nintendo of America. I have no idea who you are, but I thank you for arousing me.
   • He kenned not whether it was devil or mortal, but flung himself on the roadside and lay like a corp for an hour or more, till the rain aroused him. 1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide:

Forms

Deriveds

arousable · arouser · arousometer · arousement · rearouse

Relateds

arousal · aroused

Synonyms

inflame · invigorate · arouse · stimulate · beghast · turn on · bring round · knock up · arouse · sex up · titillate · arouse · exalt · spice · uprouse · quicken · energize · energize · inspire · turn on · cheer · inspirit · roust · spice up · turn on · ginger up · leaven · sex up · rouse · titillate · wake up · fire up · animate · awaken · liven · vitalise · excite · enthuse · bright · cry · enliven · perk up · fire · jazz · wake · animate · turn on · arouse · liven up · sex up · ginger · waken · wake up · bring round · kindle · awaken · brighten · inspire · awake · sex up

Translations (105)

ca desvetllar (to awaken) · ga múscail (to awaken) · hu kelt (to awaken) · pt provocar (to sexually stimulate) · ru возбужда́ть (to sexually stimulate) · mi whakaoho (to awaken) · mi whakaara (to awaken) · ru возбуди́ть (to sexually stimulate) · fi kiihottaa (to sexually stimulate) · hy գրգռել (to stimulate feelings) · es espabilar (to awaken) · de wachkriegen (to awaken) · de erregen (to stimulate feelings) · hy գրգռել (to sexually stimulate) · it risvegliare (to awaken) · es concitar (to stimulate feelings) · hu ébreszt (to stimulate feelings) · mi pīkoikoi (to sexually stimulate) · pl podniecić (to sexually stimulate) · de erregen (to sexually stimulate) · hu felizgat (to sexually stimulate) · bg събуждам (to stimulate feelings) · it arrapare (to sexually stimulate) · de hervorrufen (to stimulate feelings) · el ερεθίζω (to sexually stimulate) · hu felkelt (to awaken) · pt excitar (to sexually stimulate) · fi herättää (to stimulate feelings) · it stimolare (to stimulate feelings) · sa बोधयति (to awaken) · de wachmachen (to awaken) · pl wzbudzać (to stimulate feelings) · de auslösen (to stimulate feelings) · fr émoustiller (to sexually stimulate) · hu ébreszt (to awaken) · ru вы́звать (to stimulate feelings) · grc ὄρνυμι (to stimulate feelings) · pl budzić (to awaken) · gd beothaich (to awaken) · pl pobudzać (to sexually stimulate) · it svegliare (to awaken) · pt provocar (to stimulate feelings) · de anregen (to stimulate feelings) · ca provocar (to stimulate feelings) · pt incitar (to stimulate feelings) · nl opwekken (to stimulate feelings) · eo amorveki (to sexually stimulate) · ru пробужда́ть (to awaken) · bg възбуждам (to sexually stimulate) · es despertar (to awaken) · de wachrütteln (to awaken) · sh узбудити (to sexually stimulate) · el αφυπνίζω (to awaken) · sh uzbuditi (to sexually stimulate) · it eccitare (to sexually stimulate) · mi tore (to sexually stimulate) · pl podniecać (to sexually stimulate) · gl provocar (to stimulate feelings) · hu felébreszt (to awaken) · it eccitare (to stimulate feelings) · nl opwinden (to sexually stimulate) · mi whakahiwa (to awaken) · de aufreizen (to stimulate feelings) · el διεγείρω (to sexually stimulate) · pt arreitar (to sexually stimulate) · es incitar (to stimulate feelings) · ca despertar (to awaken) · es encalabrinar (to sexually stimulate) · ca excitar (to sexually stimulate) · el ξυπνώ (to stimulate feelings) · gd beothaich (to stimulate feelings) · ja 興奮する (to sexually stimulate) · de erzeugen (to stimulate feelings) · it suscitare (to stimulate feelings) · ka აღგზნება (to sexually stimulate) · es despabilar (to awaken) · es provocar (to stimulate feelings) · de reizen (to sexually stimulate) · pl obudzić (to awaken) · ru вызыва́ть (to stimulate feelings) · fr exciter (to sexually stimulate) · hu kelt (to stimulate feelings) · gl arreitar (to sexually stimulate) · it provocare (to stimulate feelings) · mi nanawe (to stimulate feelings) · pl pobudzić (to sexually stimulate) · ko 자극하다 (to sexually stimulate) · de erwecken (to awaken) · es excitar (to sexually stimulate) · de aufwecken (to awaken) · de aufreizen (to sexually stimulate) · pt despertar (to awaken) · de aus dem Schlaf holen (to awaken) · no tenne (to sexually stimulate) · hu izgalomba hoz (to sexually stimulate) · de reizen (to stimulate feelings) · de entfachen (to stimulate feelings) · fi herättää (to awaken) · uk збудити (to sexually stimulate) · mi whakahiwa (to stimulate feelings) · ga spreag (to stimulate feelings) · pl wzbudzić (to stimulate feelings) · ko 자극하다 (to stimulate feelings) · uk збуджувати (to sexually stimulate) · ru пробуди́ть (to awaken)