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Webster 1913 Edition

Riot

Ri′ot

,
Noun.
[OF.
riote
, of uncertain origin; cf. OD.
revot
,
ravot
.]
1.
Wanton or unrestrained behavior; uproar; tumult.
His headstrong
riot
hath no curb.
Shakespeare
2.
Excessive and exxpensive feasting; wild and loose festivity; revelry.
Venus loveth
riot
and dispense.
Chaucer.
The lamb thy
riot
dooms to bleed to-day.
Pope.
3.
(Law)
The tumultuous disturbance of the public peace by an unlawful assembly of three or more persons in the execution of some private object.
To run riot
,
to act wantonly or without restraint.

Ri′ot

,
Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Rioted
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Rioting
.]
[OF.
rioter
; cf. OD.
ravotten
.]
1.
To engage in riot; to act in an unrestrained or wanton manner; to indulge in excess of luxury, feasting, or the like; to revel; to run riot; to go to excess.
Now he exact of all, wastes in delight,
Riots
in pleasure, and neglects the law.
Daniel.
No pulse that
riots
, and no blood that glows.
Pope.
2.
(Law)
To disturb the peace; to raise an uproar or sedition. See
Riot
,
Noun.
, 3.
Johnson.

Ri′ot

,
Verb.
T.
To spend or pass in riot.
[He] had
rioted
his life out.
Tennyson.

Webster 1828 Edition

Riot

RI'OT

, n.
1.
In a general sense, tumult; uproar; hence technically, in law, a riotous assembling of twelve persons or more, and not dispersing upon proclamation.
The definition of riot must depend on the laws. In Connecticut, the assembling of three persons or more, to do an unlawful act by violence against the person or property of another, and not dispersing upon proclamation, is declared to be a riot. In Massachusetts and New Hampshire, the number necessary to constitute a riot is twelve.
2.
Uproar; wild and noisy festivity.
3.
Excessive and expensive feasting. 2Peter 2.
4.
Luxury.
The lamb thy riot dooms to bleed today.
To run riot, to act or move without control or restraint.

RI'OT

, v.i.
1.
To revel; to run to excess in feasting, drinking or other sensual indulgences.
2.
To luxuriate; to be highly excited.
No pulse that riots, and no blood that glows.
3.
To banquet; to live in luxury; to enjoy.
How base is the ingratitude which forgets the benefactor, while it is rioting on the benefit!
4.
To raise an uproar or sedition.

Definition 2024

riot

riot

English

Noun

riot ‎(plural riots)

  1. Wanton or unrestrained behavior; uproar; tumult.
    • Shakespeare
      His headstrong riot hath no curb.
  2. The tumultuous disturbance of the public peace by an unlawful assembly of three or more persons in the execution of some private object.
  3. Excessive and expensive feasting; wild and loose festivity; revelry.
    • Chaucer
      Venus loveth riot and dispense.
    • Alexander Pope
      the lamb thy riot dooms to bleed to-day
  4. A large variety of something
    • 1921, Edward Sapir, Language
      The human world is contracting not only prospectively but to the backward-probing eye of culture-history. Nevertheless we are as yet far from able to reduce the riot of spoken languages to a small number of "stocks".

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

riot ‎(third-person singular simple present riots, present participle rioting, simple past and past participle rioted)

  1. To create or take part in a riot; to raise an uproar or sedition.
    The nuclear protesters rioted outside the military base.
  2. (obsolete) To act in an unrestrained or wanton manner; to indulge in excess of luxury, feasting, etc.
    • Daniel
      Now he exact of all, wastes in delight, / Riots in pleasure, and neglects the law.
    • Alexander Pope
      No pulse that riots, and no blood that glows.

Translations

Anagrams

Etymology

From Middle English riot ‎(“debauched living, dissipation”), from Old French riote ‎(“debate”). Compare French riotte.

Pronunciation

  • Rhymes: -aɪət

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