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riot
[ rahy-uht ]
noun
- a noisy, violent public disorder caused by a group or crowd of persons, as by a crowd protesting against another group, a government policy, etc., in the streets.
- Law. a disturbance of the public peace by three or more persons acting together in a disrupting and tumultuous manner in carrying out their private purposes.
- violent or wild disorder or confusion.
Synonyms: disturbance, tumult, uproar
- a brilliant display:
a riot of color.
- something or someone hilariously funny:
You were a riot at the party.
- unrestrained revelry.
- an unbridled outbreak, as of emotions, passions, etc.
- Archaic. loose, wanton living; profligacy.
verb (used without object)
- to take part in a riot or disorderly public outbreak.
- to live in a loose or wanton manner; indulge in unrestrained revelry:
Many of the Roman emperors rioted notoriously.
Synonyms: carouse
- Hunting. (of a hound or pack) to pursue an animal other than the intended quarry.
- to indulge unrestrainedly; run riot.
verb (used with object)
- to spend (money, time, etc.) in riotous living (usually followed by away or out ).
riot
/ ˈraɪət /
noun
- a disturbance made by an unruly mob or (in law) three or more persons; tumult or uproar
- ( as modifier )
a riot shield
a riot gun
riot police
- boisterous activity; unrestrained revelry
- an occasion of boisterous merriment
- slang.a person who occasions boisterous merriment
- a dazzling or arresting display
a riot of colour
- hunting the indiscriminate following of any scent by hounds
- archaic.wanton lasciviousness
- run riot
- to behave wildly and without restraint
- (of plants) to grow rankly or profusely
verb
- intr to take part in a riot
- intr to indulge in unrestrained revelry or merriment
- trfoll byaway to spend (time or money) in wanton or loose living
he has rioted away his life
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Derived Forms
- ˈrioter, noun
- ˈrioting, noun
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Other Words From
- riot·er noun
- anti·riot adjective noun
- counter·riot·er noun
- non·riot·er noun
- non·riot·ing adjective
- un·riot·ing adjective
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Word History and Origins
Origin of riot1
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Word History and Origins
Origin of riot1
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Idioms and Phrases
- run riot,
- to act without control or restraint:
The neighbors let their children run riot.
- to grow luxuriantly or abundantly:
Crab grass is running riot in our lawn.
More idioms and phrases containing riot
see read the riot act ; run amok (riot) .Discover More
Example Sentences
They made one last charge for the airport, and when the riot police blocked them again a melee ensued.
And this is the prevailing attitude that white St. Louis fears the most: an all out riot, anarchy, lawlessness, disorder.
Riot police eventually converged from the flanks, hundreds at first, then hundreds more, with shields and batons.
The riot police advanced on the crowd and the crowd gave some ground but did not retreat.
A battalion of riot police armed with shotguns arrived on the scene.
The exertions of the city authorities, who had notice of the meditated riot, were unable to prevent or quell it.
Monsieur de Tressan was here, as ill-luck would have it, and Gaubert implored him to send soldiers thither to quell the riot.
A special assistant of the United States marshal was killed, but the object of the riot was not effected.
Seven months later Captain Preston and other soldiers implicated in the riot were tried before a Boston jury.
The Italian ecclesiastic Gavazzi, lectured at Quebec, and gave rise to a riot.
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Related Words
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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