tousle

== English == === Alternative forms === touzle, toozle, towsle, towzle, tussle, tossle === Etymology === From Middle English touselen, equivalent to touse +‎ -le. Cognate with German Low German tuseln, Bavarian zusseln, züsseln. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈtaʊ.zəl/ (proscribed, also) IPA(key): /ˈtaʊ.səl/, /ˈtɔs.əl/, /ˈtʌs.əl/, (rare) /ˈtus.əl/ Rhymes: -aʊzəl === Verb === tousle (third-person singular simple present tousles, present participle tousling, simple past and past participle tousled) To put into disorder; to tumble; to touse; to muss. (Can we add an example for this sense?) ==== Derived terms ==== === Noun === tousle (plural tousles) The action of ruffling or setting in disorder. ==== Usage notes ==== /ˈtaʊ.zəl/ is the primary and sometimes sole pronunciation listed by most dictionaries; /ˈtaʊ.səl/ is a secondary variant in Merriam-Webster and the American Heritage Dictionary, though proscribed by some sources. The nonstandard /ˈtɔs.əl/, perhaps from confusion with toss, is also fairly common in online video (as is /ˈtʌs.əl/ to a lesser extent). /ˈtus.əl/ is a rare variant. ==== Derived terms ==== === References === === Anagrams === lutose, solute, tousel