tousle

English

Alternative forms

• touzle, toozle, towsle, towzle, tussle

Etymology

From Middle English touselen, equivalent to touse +‎ -le.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtaʊ.zəl/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

  • (US, also) IPA^(key): /ˈtaʊ.səl/
• Rhymes: -aʊzəl

Verb

tousle (third-person singular simple present tousles, present participle tousling, simple past and past participle tousled)

1. To put into disorder; to tumble; to touse; to muss.

Noun

tousle (plural tousles)

1. The action of ruffling or setting in disorder.
   • 2015, Carla Cassidy, A Real Cowboy, page 264:

     Cassie reached over and gave Sammy's dark hair a tousle.

Derived terms

• tousle-haired
• tousle-headed

 

Anagrams

• lutose, solute, tousel