I. re ‧ volt 1 /rɪˈvəʊlt $ -ˈvoʊlt/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable and countable]
1 . a refusal to accept someone’s authority or obey rules or laws SYN rebellion :
The prime minister is now facing a revolt by members of his own party.
revolt against
a revolt against authority
revolt over
a revolt over the proposed spending cuts
in revolt
French farmers are in revolt over cheap imports.
2 . strong and often violent action by a lot of people against their ruler or government SYN rebellion ⇨ revolution :
the Polish revolt of 1863
revolt against
a revolt against the central government
revolt of
the successful revolt of the American colonies
put down/crush a revolt (=use military force to stop it)
Troops loyal to the President crushed the revolt.
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COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 2)
■ verbs
▪ a revolt breaks out (=starts)
In 1821 revolts broke out in Moldavia and Wallachia.
▪ people rise in revolt (=start to take part in a revolt)
At a word from Gandhi, India would have risen in revolt.
▪ lead a revolt
He led a revolt against Constantine and acclaimed Maximus as emperor.
▪ suppress/crush/put down a revolt (=end it by force)
The Russians speedily crushed the revolt.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + revolt
▪ a peasant revolt (=by people who work on farms)
This was the best-known peasant revolt in Soviet history.
▪ a popular revolt (=one involving a lot of ordinary people)
Opposition groups had called for a popular revolt against the President.
▪ open revolt (=not hidden or secret)
She faced open revolt from her Cabinet colleagues.
▪ armed revolt (=one in which weapons are used)
Somalis living just across the Ethiopian border rose up in armed revolt.
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THESAURUS
▪ revolt/rebellion/uprising an attempt by a large group of people at revolution:
a popular uprising (=involving ordinary people, not the army)
▪ coup /kuː/ an occasion when a group of people, especially soldiers, suddenly take control of a country:
a military coup
II. revolt 2 BrE AmE verb
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: French ; Origin: révolter , from Old Italian rivoltare 'to defeat and remove from power' , from Latin revolvere ; ⇨ ↑ revolve ]
1 . [intransitive] if people revolt, they take strong and often violent action against the government, usually with the aim of taking power away from them SYN rebel ⇨ revolution
revolt against
It was feared that the army would revolt against the government.
2 . [intransitive] to refuse to accept someone’s authority or obey rules or laws SYN rebel
revolt against
Some members of the government may revolt against this proposed legislation.
3 . [transitive usually passive] if something revolts you, it is so unpleasant that it makes you feel sick and shocked ⇨ revulsion :
He was revolted by the smell.