subs. (common).—Generic for anything exceptional. Hence ROUSING = very, great, startling, exciting.
1677. E. COLES, English-Latin Dictionary. A ROUSING lye, mendacium magnificum.
1719. D’URFEY, Wit and Mirth; or Pills to Purge Melancholy, i. 264.
| She grown coy, | |
| Call’d him Boy, | |
| He getting from her cry’d, Zoons you’r a ROUZER. |
1767. STERNE, Tristram Shandy, vi. 109. A Jew … had the ill-luck to die … and leave his widow in possession of a ROUSING trade.
1868. Putnam’s Magazine, Jan. He is a ROUSER at making punch.
1893. MILLIKEN, ’Arry Ballads, 64, ‘On Angling.’ Larf! We made the whole place ring a ROUSER, till Jolter implored us to stop.
2. (old).—A tremendous fart.
1731. SWIFT, Strephon and Chloe. Let fly a ROUSER in her face.
