Riot

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: ri=ot

CIDE DICTIONARY

Riot, n. [OF. riote, of uncertain origin; cf. OD. revot, ravot.].

•  Wanton or unrestrained behavior; uproar; tumult.  [1913 Webster]

  "His headstrong riot hath no curb."  [1913 Webster]
•  Excessive and exxpensive feasting; wild and loose festivity; revelry.  [1913 Webster]

  "Venus loveth riot and dispense."  [1913 Webster]

  "The lamb thy riot dooms to bleed to-day."  [1913 Webster]
•  The tumultuous disturbance of the public peace by an unlawful assembly of three or more persons in the execution of some private object.  [1913 Webster]

To run riot, to act wantonly or without restraint.

Riot, v. i. [OF. rioter; cf. OD. ravotten.].

•  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.  [1913 Webster]

  "Now he exact of all, wastes in delight,
  Riots in pleasure, and neglects the law."  [1913 Webster]

  "No pulse that riots, and no blood that glows."  [1913 Webster]
•  To disturb the peace; to raise an uproar or sedition. See Riot, n., 3.  Johnson.  [1913 Webster]

Riot, v. t. 

 To spend or pass in riot.  [1913 Webster]
"[He] had rioted his life out."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Riot, n. & v.
--n.
1 a a disturbance of the peace by a crowd; an occurrence of public disorder. b (attrib.) involved in suppressing riots (riot police; riot shield).
2 uncontrolled revelry; noisy behaviour.
3 (foll. by of) a lavish display or enjoyment (a riot of emotion; a riot of colour and sound).
4 colloq. a very amusing thing or person.
--v.intr.
1 make or engage in a riot.
2 live wantonly; revel.

Idiom

read the Riot Act put a firm stop to insubordination etc.; give a severe warning (from the name of a former act partly read out to disperse rioters). run riot
1 throw off all restraint.
2 (of plants) grow or spread uncontrolled.

Derivative

rioter n. riotless adj.

Etymology

ME f. OF riote, rioter, rihoter, of unkn. orig.

DEVIL DICTIONARY

Riot

n. A popular entertainment given to the military by innocent bystanders.

THESAURUS

Riot

abundance, ado, affluence, affray, ample sufficiency, ampleness, amplitude, anarchism, anarchy, arise, assault, attack, avalanche, barbarize, batter, battering, battle, belly laugh, best seller, big hit, blue story, bonanza, bother, bountifulness, bountiousness, box, brawl, brilliant success, broil, brouhaha, brutalize, bud, bumper crop, burgeon, burn, burst forth, butcher, butchery, carouse, carry on, civil disorder, clash, close, collide, combat, come to blows, comedian, comedienne, commotion, contend, contest, copiousness, create a disturbance, create a riot, cut and thrust, cut loose, destroy, dirty joke, dirty story, disorderliness, disruption, distemper, disturbance, do, donnybrook, donnybrook fair, double entendre, duel, dustup, embroilment, emeute, ethnic joke, exchange blows, extravagance, exuberance, fad, fence, fertility, feud, fight, fight a duel, flood, flourish, flow, foison, foofaraw, forcible seizure, fracas, fray, free-for-all, frolic, full measure, fullness, fun, funny story, fuss, gag, gas, gasser, gemmate, general uprising, generosity, generousness, germinate, give and take, give satisfaction, go berserk, go on, good one, good story, grapple, grapple with, great abundance, great plenty, great success, grow, grow rank, gush, hammer, hassle, hell, helter-skelter, hit, howl, howler, hubbub, imbroglio, insurge, insurgence, insurgency, insurrect, insurrection, jacquerie, jape, jest, jestbook, joke, jostle, joust, killing, knock-down-and-drag-out, landslide, laugh, lavishness, lawlessness, lay waste, laying waste, leaf, leaf out, leave, levee en masse, liberality, liberalness, loot, looting, lots, luxuriance, luxuriate, make a commotion, make an ado, make trouble, massacre, maul, maximum, melee, meteoric success, misrule, mix it up, momentary success, more than enough, mount the barricades, much, mug, mutineer, mutiny, myriad, myriads, numerousness, obstreperousness, onslaught, opulence, opulency, outbreak, outburst, outpouring, overflow, overgrow, overrun, overthrow, pandemonium, panic, peasant revolt, pell-mell, pillage, pillaging, play, plenitude, plenteousness, plentifulness, plenty, point, pother, prevalence, prodigality, productiveness, profuseness, profusion, pullulate, put forth, put forth leaves, put out buds, putsch, quantities, quarrel, racket, rage, raise a ruckus, raise a rumpus, raise a storm, ramp, rampage, rant, rape, rassle, rave, rebel, rebellion, reluct, reluctate, repleteness, repletion, resounding triumph, revolt, revolute, revolution, revolutionize, rib tickler, rich harvest, rich vein, richness, rioting, riotousness, rise, rise up, rising, roar, roaring success, roil, roister, root, rough-and-tumble, roughhouse, row, ruckus, ruction, ruin, rumpus, run a tilt, run amok, run riot, run wild, sack, sacking, savage, scads, scramble, scream, scrimmage, scuffle, sensation, shindy, shoot, shoot up, shower, sick joke, sidesplitter, sight gag, skirmish, slaughter, smash, smash hit, sow chaos, sowing with salt, spar, spate, sport, spree, sprout, sprout up, stir, storm, story, stream, strife, strike, strike root, strive, struggle, substantiality, substantialness, subvert, superabundance, take root, tear, tear around, teemingness, terrorize, thrust and parry, tilt, to-do, tourney, triumph, trouble, tumult, turbulence, turmoil, tussle, unrest, unruliness, uprising, uproar, upspear, upsprout, vandalize, vegetate, violate, violation, violence, visual joke, wage war, war, wassail, wealth, wheeze, wow, wreck, wrestle, yarn

ROGET THESAURUS

Riot

Disorder

N disorder, derangement, irregularity, anomaly, anarchy, anarchism, want of method, untidiness, disunion, discord, confusion, confusedness, mishmash, mix, disarray, jumble, huddle, litter, lumber, cahotage, farrago, mess, mash, muddle, muss, hash, hodgepodge, hotch-potch, hotch-pot, imbroglio, chaos, omnium gatherum, medley, mere mixture, fortuitous concourse of atoms, disjecta membra, rudis indigestaque moles, complexity, turmoil, ferment, to-do, trouble, pudder, pother, row, rumble, disturbance, hubbub, convulsion, tumult, uproar, revolution, riot, rumpus, stour, scramble, brawl, fracas, rhubarb, fight, free-for-all, row, ruction, rumpus, embroilment, melee, spill and pelt, rough and tumble, whirlwind, bear garden, Babel, Saturnalia, donnybrook, Donnybrook Fair, confusion worse confounded, most admired disorder, concordia discors, Bedlam, all hell broke loose, bull in a china shop, all the fat in the fire, diable a' quatre, Devil to pay, pretty kettle of fish, pretty piece of work, pretty piece of business, disorderly person, disorderly persons offence, misdemeanor, slattern, slut (libertine), disorderly, orderless, out of order, out of place, out of gear, irregular, desultory, anomalous, acephalous, deranged, aimless, disorganized, straggling, unmethodical, immethodical, unsymmetric, unsystematic, untidy, slovenly, dislocated, out of sorts, promiscuous, indiscriminate, chaotic, anarchical, unarranged &c (arrange), confused, deranged, topsy-turvy, shapeless, disjointed, out of joint, troublous, riotous, complex, irregularly, by fits, by fits and snatches, by fits and starts, pellmell, higgledy-piggledy, helter-skelter, harum-scarum, in a ferment, at sixes and sevens, at cross-purposes, upside down, the cart before the horse, hysteron proteron, chaos is come again, the wreck of matter and the crush of worlds.

Derangement

VB derange, disarrange, misarrange, displace, misplace, mislay, discompose, disorder, deorganize, discombobulate, disorganize, embroil, unsettle, disturb, confuse, trouble, perturb, jumble, tumble, shuffle, randomize, huddle, muddle, toss, hustle, fumble, riot, bring into disorder, put into disorder, throw into disorder, muss, break the ranks, disconcert, convulse, break in upon, unhinge, dislocate, put out of joint, throw out of gear, turn topsy-turvy, bedevil, complicate, involve, perplex, confound, imbrangle, embrangle, tangle, entangle, ravel, tousle, towzle, dishevel, ruffle, rumple, litter, scatter, mix, rearrange.

Discord

N discord, disagreement, discord, disaccord, dissidence, dissonance, jar, clash, shock, jarring, jostling, screw loose, variance, difference, dissension, misunderstanding, cross purposes, odds, brouillerie, division, split, rupture, disruption, division in the camp, house divided against itself, disunion, breach, schism, feud, faction, quarrel, dispute, tiff, tracasserie, squabble, altercation, barney, demel_e, snarl, spat, towrow, words, high words, wrangling, jangle, brabble, cross questions and crooked answers, snip-snap, family jars, polemics, litigation, strife, warfare, outbreak, open rupture, declaration of war, broil, brawl, row, racket, hubbub, rixation, embroilment, embranglement, imbroglio, fracas, breach of the peace, piece of work, scrimmage, rumpus, breeze, squall, riot, disturbance, commotion, bear garden, Donnybrook, Donnybrook Fair, subject of dispute, ground of quarrel, battle ground, disputed point, bone of contention, bone to pick, apple of discord, casus belli, question at issue, vexed question, vexata quaestio, brand of discord, troublous times, cat-and-dog life, contentiousness, enmity, hate, Kilkenny cats, disputant, strange bedfellows, discordant, disagreeing, out of tune, ajar, on bad terms, dissentient, unreconciled, unpacified, contentious, quarrelsome, unpacific, gladiatorial, controversial, polemic, disputatious, factious, litigious, litigant, pettifogging, at odds, at loggerheads, at daggers drawn, at variance, at issue, at cross purposes, at sixes and sevens, at feud, at high words, up in arms, together by the ears, in hot water, embroiled, torn, disunited, quot homines tot sententiae, no love lost between them, non nostrum tantas componere lites, Mars gravior sub pace latet, discord, discordance, dissonance, cacophony, want of harmony, caterwauling, harshness, Babel, Dutch concert, cat's concert, marrowbones and cleavers, discordant, dissonant, absonant, out of tune, tuneless, unmusical, untunable, unmelodious, immelodious, unharmonious, inharmonious, singsong, cacophonous, harsh, jarring.

Resistance

N resistance, stand, front, oppugnation, oppugnancy, opposition, renitence, renitency, reluctation, recalcitration, kicking, repulse, rebuff, insurrection, strike, turn out, lock out, barring out, levee en masse, Jacquerie, riot, resisting, resistive, resistant, refractory, recalcitrant, renitent, up in arms, repulsive, repellant, proof against, unconquerable, stubborn, unconquered, indomitable, unyielding, Int, hands off!, keep off!.

Disobedience

N disobedience, insubordination, contumacy, infraction, infringement, violation, noncompliance, nonobservance, revolt, rebellion, mutiny, outbreak, rising, uprising, insurrection, emeute, riot, tumult, strike, barring out, defiance, mutinousness, mutineering, sedition, treason, high treason, petty treason, misprision of treason, premunire, lese majeste, violation of law, defection, secession, insurgent, mutineer, rebel, revolter, revolutionary, rioter, traitor, quisling, carbonaro, sansculottes, red republican, bonnet rouge, communist, Fenian, frondeur, seceder, secessionist, runagate, renegade, brawler, anarchist, demagogue, Spartacus, Masaniello, Wat Tyler, Jack Cade, ringleader, disobedient, uncomplying, uncompliant, unsubmissive, unruly, ungovernable, breachy, insubordinate, impatient of control, incorrigible, restiff, restive, refractory, contumacious, recusant, recalcitrant, resisting, lawless, mutinous, seditions, insurgent, riotous, unobeyed, unbidden, seditiosissimus quisque ignavus, unthread the rude eye of rebellion.

Violence

N violence, inclemency, vehemence, might, impetuosity, boisterousness, effervescence, ebullition, turbulence, bluster, uproar, callithump, riot, row, rumpus, le diable a quatre, devil to pay, all the fat in the fire, severity, ferocity, rage, fury, exacerbation, exasperation, malignity, fit, paroxysm, orgasm, climax, aphrodisia, force, brute force, outrage, coup de main, strain, shock, shog, spasm, convulsion, throe, hysterics, passion, outbreak, outburst, debacle, burst, bounce, dissilience, discharge, volley, explosion, blow up, blast, detonation, rush, eruption, displosion, torrent, turmoil, ferment, storm, tempest, rough weather, squall, earthquake, volcano, thunderstorm, berserk, berserker, fury, dragon, demon, tiger, beldame, Tisiphone, Megaera, Alecto, madcap, wild beast, fire eater, violent, vehement, warm, acute, sharp, rough, rude, ungentle, bluff, boisterous, wild, brusque, abrupt, waspish, impetuous, rampant, turbulent, disorderly, blustering, raging, troublous, riotous, tumultuary, tumultuous, obstreperous, uproarious, extravagant, unmitigated, ravening, inextinguishable, tameless, frenzied, desperate, infuriate, furious, outrageous, frantic, hysteric, in hysterics, fiery, flaming, scorching, hot, red-hot, ebullient, savage, fierce, ferocious, fierce as a tiger, excited, unquelled, unquenched, unextinguished, unrepressed, unbridled, unruly, headstrong, ungovernable, unappeasable, immitigable, unmitigable, uncontrollable, incontrollable, insuppressible, irrepressible, orgastic, orgasmatic, orgasmic, spasmodic, convulsive, explosive, detonating, volcanic, meteoric, stormy, violently, amain, by storm, by force, by main force, with might and main, tooth and nail, vi et armis, at the point of the sword, at the point of the bayonet, at one fell swoop, with a high hand, through thick and thin, in desperation, with a vengeance, a outrance, a toute outrance, headlong, head foremost, furor arma ministrat, blown with restless violence round about the pende.

VB be violent, run high, ferment, effervesce, romp, rampage, go on a rampage, run wild, run amuck, run riot, break the peace, rush, tear, rush headlong, rush foremost, raise a storm, make a riot, rough house, riot, storm, wreak, bear down, ride roughshod, out Herod, Herod, spread like wildfire (person), explode, make a row, kick up a row, boil, boil over, fume, foam, come on like a lion, bluster, rage, roar, fly off the handle, go bananas, go ape, blow one's top, blow one's cool, flip one's lid, hit the ceiling, hit the roof, fly into a rage (anger), break out, fly out, burst out, bounce, explode, go off, displode, fly, detonate, thunder, blow up, crump, flash, flare, burst, shock, strain, break open, force open, prize open, render violent, sharpen, stir up, quicken, excite, incite, annoy, urge, lash, stimulate, turn on, irritate, inflame, kindle, suscitate, foment, accelerate, aggravate, exasperate, exacerbate, convulse, infuriate, madden, lash into fury, fan the flame, add fuel to the flame, pour oil on the fire, oleum addere camino, explode, let fly, fly off, discharge, detonate, set off, detonize, fulminate.