Forms: (6 garouse), 6–7 carous, car(r)owse, -ouse, 7 car(r)ousse, carrouze, (caraus, garaus, -ausse, karausse), 7–9 carouze, 6– carouse. [The prec. adv. in phrase to drink carouse, taken for obj. of the vb.: cf. F. une carrousse, Sp. carauz, also from Ger. The word formerly rhymed with house, mouse; the the pronunciation (-αuz) appeared first in the vb., c. 1660 (cf. grass, grace, advice, advise, etc.), and subsequently spread to sense 3 of the sb., taken as a deriv. of the vb.]
† 1. The action or fashion of ‘drinking carouse.’
1559. Mirr. Mag., 610 (R.). Lyæus fruitful cup with full carowse Went round about.
1600. Rowlands, Lett. Humours Blood, vii. (1874), 13. Drinke some braue health vpon the Dutch carouse … Or visit Shorditch, for a bawdie house.
1611. Rich, Honest. Age (1844), Introd. 19. Their best was, I drinke to you, and I pledge yee; some shallow-witted drunkard found out the Carowse.
† 2. A cupful drunk ‘all out,’ a full draught of liquor, a full bumper to one’s health, a toast. Obs. bef. 1700 (but used by Scott).
1594. Drayton, Ideas, vii. Quaffing Carowses in this costly Wine.
1596. Shaks., Tam. Shr., I. ii. 277. Quaffe carowses to our Mistresse health.
1611. Rowland, Four Knaves (1843), 13. I … will drinke a healths carouse.
1611. Cotgr., Carous, a carousse of drinke.
1617. Moryson, Itin., III. II. iii. 86. Ali which garausses he must drinke.
1674. Milton, Moscov., Wks. 1738, II. 145. The Emperor standing up, drank a deep Carouse to the Queen’s Health.
1813. Scott, Rokeby, I. vii. Quaff the full carouze.
3. A drinking bout; a carousal; carousing.
1690. W. Walker, Idiomat. Anglo-Lat., 228. Bassus at the Thracian carowse.
1725. Pope, Odyss., I. 480. The early feast and late carouse.
1833. Ht. Martineau, Manch. Strike, i. 8. To go to the Spread-eagle and have a carouse.
1851. Longf., Gold. Leg., Refectory, ad fin. What means this revel and carouse?
