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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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Rousing \Rous"ing\, a.
   1. Having power to awaken or excite; exciting.
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            I begin to feel
            Some rousing motions in me.           --Milton.
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   2. Very great; violent; astounding; as, a rousing fire; a
      rousing lie. [Colloq.]
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

rousing
    adj 1: capable of arousing enthusiasm or excitement; "a rousing
           sermon"; "stirring events such as wars and rescues" [syn:
           rousing, stirring]
    2: rousing to activity or heightened action as by spurring or
       goading; "tossed a rousing political comment into the
       conversation"
    n 1: the act of arousing; "the purpose of art is the arousal of
         emotions" [syn: arousal, rousing]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

74 Moby Thesaurus words for "rousing":
   activating, alert, alluring, animate, animated, animating,
   animative, arousal, awakening, awful, bracing, bright, brisk,
   challenging, cheering, cordial, crisp, crispy, dashing, deadly,
   dreadful, electrifying, encouraging, energetic, energizing,
   enlivening, enthusiastic, exciting, exhilarating, exhilarative,
   fearful, fervent, fresh, frightful, galvanic, galvanizing, gay,
   horrible, howling, inspiring, inspiriting, intoxicating,
   invigorating, invigorative, inviting, keen, lively, peppy, piquant,
   prompting, provocative, provoking, quickening, refreshful,
   refreshing, regaling, reveille, rude awakening, spirited,
   sprightly, stimulant, stimulating, stimulative, stirring, terrible,
   terrific, thumping, tonic, viable, vigorous, vitalizing, whacking,
   zestful, zesty