riot

From Middle English riot (“debauched living, dissipation”), from Old French riote (��debate”), from rioter (“to quarrel”), perhaps related to riboter or from Latin rugio (“I roar”).

Compare French riotte and Occitan riòta.

• IPA^(key): /ˈɹaɪ.ət/
• (weak vowel merger) IPA^(key): /ˈɹaɪ.ɪt/
• Rhymes: -aɪət
• Homophone: ryot

• Audio (UK):

  (file)

riot (countable and uncountable, plural riots)

1. A tumultuous disturbance of the public peace by a large group of people, often involving violence or damage to property.

   The protests began peacefully but turned into riots after several days.

2. (figurative) A wide and unconstrained variety.

   In summer this flower garden is a riot of colour.

   • 1921, Edward Sapir, chapter VII, in Language: An Introduction to the Study of Speech‎^[1]:

     The human world is contracting not only prospectively but to the backward-probing eye of culture-history. Nevertheless we are as yet far from able to reduce the riot of spoken languages to a small number of “stocks.”

3. (colloquial, uncountable) A humorous or entertaining event or person.
   • 1997, Daniel Clowes, “The First Time”, in Ghost World, Jonathan Cape, published 2000, →ISBN, page 34:

     Check this out! We have to get this! I can't believe all this stuff! This is a total riot!

4. Wanton or unrestrained behavior or emotion.
   • c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii], page 93:

     For when his head-ſtrong Riot hath no Curbe,

5. (obsolete) Excessive and expensive feasting; wild and loose festivity; revelry.
   • 1733, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Man. […], (please specify |epistle=I to IV), London: Printed for J[ohn] Wilford, […], →OCLC:

     the lamb thy riot dooms to bleed to-day

riot (third-person singular simple present riots, present participle rioting, simple past and past participle rioted)

1. (intransitive) To create or take part in a riot; to raise an uproar or sedition.

   The nuclear protesters rioted outside the military base.

2. (intransitive, obsolete) To act in an unrestrained or wanton manner; to indulge in excess of feasting, luxury, etc.
   • 1595, Samuel Daniel, “(please specify the folio number)”, in The First Fowre Bookes of the Ciuile Wars between the Two Houses of Lancaster and Yorke, London: […] P[eter] Short for Simon Waterson, →OCLC:

     Now he exact of all, wastes in delight, / Riots in pleasure, and neglects the law.

   • 1717, Alexander Pope, “Eloisa to Abelard”, in The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope, volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintot, […], published 1717, →OCLC:
   • 1794, Robert Southey, Wat Tyler. A Dramatic Poem. In Three Acts, London: J[ohn] M‘Creery, […] for Sherwood, Neely, and Jones, […], published 1817, →OCLC, Act I, page 21:

     Think of the insults, wrongs, and contumelies, / Ye bear from your proud lords—that your hard toil / Manures their fertile fields—you plow the earth, / You sow the corn, you reap the ripen'd harvest,— / They riot on the produce!— […]

3. (transitive) To cause to riot; to throw into a tumult.
4. (transitive) To annoy.

• Oxford English Dictionary, 1884–1928, and First Supplement, 1933.

• Tori, Troi, roti, tiro, tori, trio

Borrowed from Anglo-Norman riot, riote, of unknown origin.

• riaut, riote, ryot, ryote
• ryat, ryaute, ryette, ryott, ryotte, ryout (Late Middle English)

• IPA^(key): /riːˈɔːt/, /riːˈuːt/, /ˈriːut/, /ˈriːat/, /ˈriːət/

riot (plural riotes)

1. A riot or uprising; a disturbance of the peace.
2. Riotousness, disturbance; lack of peaceableness.
3. Debauched living; dissipation or decadence:
   1. An instance of debauchery or decadence.
   2. Excessive and wild feasting or festivity; revelry.
      • 1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Wyfe of Bathes Tale”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC:

        Venus loveth riot and dispense

        (please add an English translation of this quotation)

4. (hunting) A situation where a hound is misled by scents other than the quarry.
5. (rare) A folk proverb.
6. (rare) A group of decadent individuals.

• rioten
• riotour
• riotous

• English: riot
• Scots: royet, royt

• “rīot(e, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

riot

1. Alternative form of rioten