riot

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riot

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From Middle English riot (“debauched living, dissipation”), from Old French riote (“debate”), from rioter (“to quarrel”), perhaps related to riboter or from Latin rugio (“I roar”).

Compare French riotte and Occitan riòta.

• IPA^(key): /ˈɹaɪ.ət/
• (weak vowel merger) IPA^(key): /ˈɹaɪ.ɪt/
• Rhymes: -aɪət
• Homophone: ryot

• Audio (UK):

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riot (countable and uncountable, plural riots)

1. A tumultuous disturbance of the public peace by a large group of people, often involving violence or damage to property.

   The protests began peacefully but turned into riots after several days.

2. (figurative) A wide and unconstrained variety.

   In summer this flower garden is a riot of colour.

   • 1921, Edward Sapir, chapter VII, in Language: An Introduction to the Study of Speech‎^[1]:

     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.”

3. (colloquial, uncountable) A humorous or entertaining event or person.
   • 1997, Daniel Clowes, “The First Time”, in Ghost World, Jonathan Cape, published 2000, →ISBN, page 34:

     Check this out! We have to get this! I can't believe all this stuff! This is a total riot!

4. Wanton or unrestrained behavior or emotion.
   • c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii], page 93:

     For when his head-ſtrong Riot hath no Curbe,

5. (obsolete) Excessive and expensive feasting; wild and loose festivity; revelry.
   • 1733, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Man. […], (please specify |epistle=I to IV), London: Printed for J[ohn] Wilford, […], →OCLC:

     the lamb thy riot dooms to bleed to-day

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

1. (intransitive) To create or take part in a riot; to raise an uproar or sedition.

   The nuclear protesters rioted outside the military base.

2. (intransitive, obsolete) To act in an unrestrained or wanton manner; to indulge in excess of feasting, luxury, etc.
   • 1595, Samuel Daniel, “(please specify the folio number)”, in The First Fowre Bookes of the Ciuile Wars between the Two Houses of Lancaster and Yorke, London: […] P[eter] Short for Simon Waterson, →OCLC:

     Now he exact of all, wastes in delight, / Riots in pleasure, and neglects the law.

   • 1717, Alexander Pope, “Eloisa to Abelard”, in The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope, volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintot, […], published 1717, →OCLC:
   • 1794, Robert Southey, Wat Tyler. A Dramatic Poem. In Three Acts, London: J[ohn] M‘Creery, […] for Sherwood, Neely, and Jones, […], published 1817, →OCLC, Act I, page 21:

     Think of the insults, wrongs, and contumelies, / Ye bear from your proud lords—that your hard toil / Manures their fertile fields—you plow the earth, / You sow the corn, you reap the ripen'd harvest,— / They riot on the produce!— […]

3. (transitive) To cause to riot; to throw into a tumult.
4. (transitive) To annoy.

• Oxford English Dictionary, 1884–1928, and First Supplement, 1933.

• Tori, Troi, roti, tiro, tori, trio

Borrowed from Anglo-Norman riot, riote, of unknown origin.

• riaut, riote, ryot, ryote
• ryat, ryaute, ryette, ryott, ryotte, ryout (Late Middle English)

• IPA^(key): /riːˈɔːt/, /riːˈuːt/, /ˈriːut/, /ˈriːat/, /ˈriːət/

riot (plural riotes)

1. A riot or uprising; a disturbance of the peace.
2. Riotousness, disturbance; lack of peaceableness.
3. Debauched living; dissipation or decadence:
   1. An instance of debauchery or decadence.
   2. Excessive and wild feasting or festivity; revelry.
      • 1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Wyfe of Bathes Tale”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC:

        Venus loveth riot and dispense

        (please add an English translation of this quotation)

4. (hunting) A situation where a hound is misled by scents other than the quarry.
5. (rare) A folk proverb.
6. (rare) A group of decadent individuals.

• rioten
• riotour
• riotous

• English: riot
• Scots: royet, royt

• “rīot(e, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

riot

1. Alternative form of rioten