I. ˈt(y)üˌməlt sometimes -ü_məlt or ˈtə_m- noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English tumulte, from Middle French, from Latin tumultus; akin to Sanskrit tumula noisy, Latin tumēre to swell — more at thumb
1.
a. : disorderly and violent movement, agitation or milling about, of a crowd accompanied usually with great uproar and confusion of voices : commotion , turmoil
tumult in the city
mob was in tumult over the death of its idol — Anthony Benis
b. : a noisy and turbulent popular uprising : disturbance , riot
the tumults and disorders of the Great Rebellion — T.S.Eliot
during a hundred years … no tumult of sufficient importance to be called an insurrection — T.B.Macaulay
2.
a. : a confusion of loud noise and usually turbulent or agitated movement : hubbub , din
the tumult of the elements
talking loudly enough to make himself heard above the tumult — John Bainbridge
the bells … made a jangling tumult — H.G.Wells
the sound of the lava, a tumult of rock in molten pressure under moving earth — Richard Llewellyn
b. : a random or disorderly medley or profusion (as of objects or colors) : jumble , riot 4
in the palace itself, what a tumult of statuary — Horizon
3.
a. : violent agitation of mind or feelings : highly disturbing mental or emotional excitement or stress : ferment , turbulence
stood bewildered, her soul in a tumult — Hilaire Belloc
seek refuge in religion from the tumults of a strong emotional temperament — T.S.Eliot
b. : a violent outburst of unrestrained emotion : paroxysm
a tumult of weeping — W.G.Hardy
a tumult of rejoicing in camp — H.E.Scudder
Synonyms: see commotion
II. intransitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
: to make a tumult : riot
a whole people … tumulting even to the fear of a revolt — John Milton