/ ˈraɪət; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
[ C ] a situation in which a group of people behave in a violent way in a public place, often as a protest :
One prison guard was killed when a riot broke out in the jail.
food / race riots
2.
[ sing. ] riot of sth ( formal ) a collection of a lot of different types of the same thing :
The garden was a riot of colour .
3.
a riot [ sing. ] ( old-fashioned , informal ) a person or an event that is very amusing and enjoyable
•
IDIOMS
- run riot
—more at read verb
■ verb
[ v ] ( of a crowd of people ) to behave in a violent way in a public place, often as a protest
► riot·er noun :
Rioters set fire to parked cars.
► riot·ing noun [ U ]:
Rioting broke out in the capital.
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (originally in the sense dissolute living ): from Old French riote debate, from rioter to quarrel, of unknown ultimate origin.