/up hee"veuhl/ , n.
1. strong or violent change or disturbance, as in a society: the upheaval of war.
2. an act of upheaving, esp. of a part of the earth's crust.
3. the state of being upheaved.
4. Geol. an upward warping of a part of the earth's crust, forcing certain areas into a relatively higher position than before.
[ 1830-40; UPHEAVE + -AL 2 ]
Syn. 1. disruption, disorder, turmoil.