Touse \Touse\, Touze \Touze\, v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Toused; p. pr. & vb. n. Tousing.] [OE. tosen [root]64. See tease, and cf. Tose, Toze. ] To pull; to haul; to tear; to worry. [Prov. Eng.] --Shak.
As a bear, whom angry curs have touzed. --Spenser. Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) http://dict.die.net/touse/
TOUZE or TOUZLE, To rumple, tumble, pull about, throw down, to be rude, or over familiar with a Woman. ---A new general English dictionary. T. Dyche, 1735.
6 Annotations
First Reading
TerryF • Link
Touse \Touse\, Touze \Touze\, v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Toused;
p. pr. & vb. n. Tousing.] [OE. tosen [root]64. See tease,
and cf. Tose, Toze. ]
To pull; to haul; to tear; to worry. [Prov. Eng.] --Shak.
As a bear, whom angry curs have touzed. --Spenser.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) http://dict.die.net/touse/
to tousle/tumble a woman (L&M Glossary)
in Aqua scripto • Link
whence : thy tousled unkept look, dragged thru an 'edge backwards or did thee comb thy 'air with a leg of a chair.
Pauline • Link
from L&M Large Glossary.....
for "towse":
to tousle/tumble a woman.
Alas, they don't have an entry for "tousle."
Benvenuto • Link
"Tousle" is still current in UK English -- it means to ruffle or untidy someone's hair, clothing, etc.
Second Reading
Bill • Link
TOUZE or TOUZLE, To rumple, tumble, pull about, throw down, to be rude, or over familiar with a Woman.
---A new general English dictionary. T. Dyche, 1735.
Bill • Link
Take him hence.
To the rack with him. - We'll touze you joint by joint,
But we will know this purpose.
Measure for Measure. W. Shakespeare.