Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web

upheaval

 - 2 dictionary results

up⋅heav⋅al

[uhp-hee-vuhl]
–noun
1. strong or violent change or disturbance, as in a society: the upheaval of war.
2. an act of upheaving, esp. of a part of the earth's crust.
3. the state of being upheaved.
4. Geology. an upward warping of a part of the earth's crust, forcing certain areas into a relatively higher position than before.

Origin:
1830–40; upheave + -al 2


1. disruption, disorder, turmoil.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To upheaval
up·heav·al   (ŭp-hē'vəl)   
n.  
    1. The process of being heaved upward.

    2. An instance of being so heaved.

  1. A sudden, violent disruption or upset: "the psychic upheaval caused by war" (Wallace Fowlie).

  2. Geology A raising of a part of the earth's crust.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see upheaval on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us: