To normalize an individual and/or behavior that was previously judged as reprehensible. It is a (typically humorous) rehabilitation/humanization of a person's image. If tousling is effective, it reveals that any previous condemnation was just grandstanding.

"When Fallon tousled Trump, that normalized him and made him more sympathetic. I guess all those viewers who that that that was cute weren't really that concern about Trump after all!"; "When Colbert was tousling Sean Spicer at the Emmy's it really made me mad because I was like, 'I thought Colbert really believed that Spicer was a danger to the country; guess not!'"

tousle by psychophysics September 19, 2017

Related Words

tousle • touslehaufing • tous les jours • tous les nuits • touse • touleen • tousei • tossle • Touseant • Toushe

A Trousle of Bones

A group of skeletons parading down your street (can also be used to define a group of Papyri)

Dude 1#: Bro, I just saw A Trousle of Bones on Jones St.
Dude 2#: Dude no way! Did you get a picture?

A Trousle of Bones by tyytanb0n3.d April 17, 2019

tossle cap

A colloquialism specific to Pittsburgh natives. Generally known as a toboggan, beanie, or skull cap by everyone else.

I went outside and it was freezing, so I went back for my tossle cap.

tossle cap by JHoVe May 3, 2010

tosle

This word is used ageens someone with the name Tom. It's used when they need to go to bed but they don't want to. It basically means that soemone with the name tom should go to bed.

*Tom's mom screams at him that he can't be playing games at 3 am*
-Yes i can, tom says
*Me over the mic * no you can be playing games now tosle.

tosle by billylikescandy October 28, 2020

touleen

Toluene is an Arabic name that means tulip she is the most wonderful person you will ever meet, she is kind, caring, forgiving and extremely witty. If you ever fond a toluene never let her go

“Hi Touleen”
“Want to play, Touleen ?”

touleen by Abzy007 March 23, 2019

TomsLeftHand

A tik toker that post things about Eddsworld and simps for tom

TomsLeftHand is Tom left hand

TomsLeftHand by anonymous January 30, 2022

Concrete cowboy

A guy who thinks he's a country kinda guy, but in reality lives a comfortable city / suburban life.

Eugene: Look at that dude in the cowboy hat!
Todd: He's just a concrete cowboy.

Concrete cowboy by EugeneJohnson42000 March 16, 2024

Word of the Day on September 20, 2026

hobo loko

any hard liquor that is cheap & potent.. eg. relska, popov, potters, evan williams, kamchatka, fireball, rumpleminze, southern comfort, everclear

hey let's get a drink of that?

go ahead
*takes drink* ugh wtf is that?

everclear & bepsi
fucking hobo loko eeessshh

hobo loko by d i z k o 2 0 8 September 14, 2026

Word of the Day on September 19, 2026

God Shot

A chance happening with profound meaning, an unexpected blessing, a "sign".

Dr. Drew on Celebrity Rehab said "All of a sudden what had been just another Hollywood proposal became for him an unexpected blessing, an opportunity for growth. In drug recovery language, that's called a "God shot."

God Shot by Imogen1564 February 25, 2011

Word of the Day on September 18, 2026

city chicken

A food native to Pittsburgh/Western Pennsylvania in which cubes of pork and/or veal are put on a short, wooden skewer, breaded, then baked and/or fried.

I've heard that city chicken originated during the Great Depression, when folks didn't have enough money to buy full cuts of meat, so they assembled meat scraps on a wooden skewer, creating a make-shift drumstick. Hence the name.

Are yinz havin' city chicken for dinner?

city chicken by TRF August 31, 2006

Word of the Day on September 17, 2026

Is that cake?

Another way to say is this fake? Like the show real or cake

“Slayyyter just announced another album last night”
“No way, is that cake?”
“Yeah whoops this isn’t real”

Is that cake? by Sexyyred September 15, 2026

Word of the Day on September 16, 2026