touse

Middle English tosen. See tease. Cognate with German zausen (“to tousle”).

touse (third-person singular simple present touses, present participle tousing, simple past and past participle toused)

1. (transitive) To rumple, tousle
2. (transitive) To pull to pieces.
   • 1844, Robert Browning, "Garden Fancies," II. Sibrandus Schafnaburgennis:

     How did he like it when the live creatures

     Tickled and toused and browsed him all over,

     And worm, slug, eft, with serious features

     Came in, each one, for his right of trover?

touse (plural touses)

1. a noisy disturbance

• use to