1 N‑VAR A revolt is an illegal and often violent attempt by a group of people to change their country's political system. □ It was undeniably a revolt by ordinary people against their leaders.
2 VERB When people revolt , they make an illegal and often violent attempt to change their country's political system. □ [V ] In 1375 the townspeople revolted.
3 N‑VAR A revolt by a person or group against someone or something is a refusal to accept the authority of that person or thing. □ The prime minister is facing a revolt by party activists over his refusal to hold a referendum.
4 VERB When people revolt against someone or something, they reject the authority of that person or reject that thing. □ [V ] Three senior cabinet members revolted and resigned in protest on Friday night. □ [V + against ] Caroline revolted against her ballet training at sixteen.
re|volt|ing /r I voʊ lt I ŋ/ ADJ If you say that something or someone is revolting , you mean you think they are horrible and disgusting. □ The smell in the cell was revolting.
revo|lu|tion ◆◇◇ /re vəluː ʃ ə n/ (revolutions )
1 N‑COUNT A revolution is a successful attempt by a large group of people to change the political system of their country by force. □ The period since the revolution has been one of political turmoil.
2 N‑COUNT A revolution in a particular area of human activity is an important change in that area. □ [+ in ] The nineteenth century witnessed a revolution in ship design and propulsion. SYNONYMS revolution NOUN 1
revolt: It was undeniably a revolt by ordinary people against their leaders.
uprising: …a popular uprising against the authoritarian government.
coup: …a military coup.
rebellion: The British soon put down the rebellion.
revo|lu|tion|ary ◆◇◇ /re vəluː ʃənri, [AM ] -neri/ (revolutionaries )
1 ADJ Revolutionary activities, organizations, or people have the aim of causing a political revolution. □ Do you know anything about the revolutionary movement? □ …the Cuban revolutionary leader, Jose Marti.
2 N‑COUNT A revolutionary is a person who tries to cause a revolution or who takes an active part in one. □ The revolutionaries laid down their arms and their leaders went into voluntary exile.
3 ADJ Revolutionary ideas and developments involve great changes in the way that something is done or made. □ Invented in 1951, the rotary engine is a revolutionary concept in internal combustion. SYNONYMS revolutionary ADJ
1
radicaclass="underline" …threats by left-wing radical groups to disrupt the proceedings.
extremist: …a marked rise in extremist violence.
subversive: This courageous and subversive movie has attracted widespread critical support.
3
innovative: He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.
noveclass="underline" The very idea of a sixth form college was novel in 1962.
radicaclass="underline" The country needs a period of calm without more surges of radical change.
revo|lu|tion|ize /re vəluː ʃəna I z/ (revolutionizes , revolutionizing , revolutionized ) in BRIT, also use revolutionise VERB When something revolutionizes an activity, it causes great changes in the way that it is done. □ [V n] Over the past forty years plastics have revolutionised the way we live.
re|volve /r I vɒ lv/ (revolves , revolving , revolved )
1 VERB If you say that one thing revolves around another thing, you mean that the second thing is the main feature or focus of the first thing. □ [V + around ] Since childhood, her life has revolved around tennis.
2 VERB If a discussion or conversation revolves around a particular topic, it is mainly about that topic. □ [V + around ] The debate revolves around specific accounting techniques.
3 VERB If one object revolves around another object, the first object turns in a circle around the second object. □ [V + around ] The satellite revolves around the Earth once every hundred minutes.
4 VERB When something revolves or when you revolve it, it moves or turns in a circle around a central point or line. □ [V ] Overhead, the fan revolved slowly. □ [V n] Monica picked up her pen and revolved it between her teeth.
re|volv|er /r I vɒ lvə r / (revolvers ) N‑COUNT A revolver is a kind of hand gun. Its bullets are kept in a revolving cylinder in the gun.
re|vo lv|ing doo r (revolving doors )
1 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Some large buildings have revolving doors instead of an ordinary door. They consist of four glass doors which turn together in a circle around a vertical post. □ As he went through the revolving doors he felt his courage deserting him.
2 N‑COUNT [usu sing] When you talk about a revolving door , you mean a situation in which the employees or owners of an organization keep changing. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ They have accepted an offer from another firm with a busy revolving door.
re|vue /r I vjuː / (revues ) N‑COUNT A revue is a theatrical performance consisting of songs, dances, and jokes about recent events.
re|vul|sion /r I vʌ lʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT Someone's revulsion at something is the strong feeling of disgust or disapproval they have towards it. □ …their revulsion at the act of desecration.
re vved u p ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If someone is revved up , they are prepared for an important or exciting activity. [INFORMAL ] □ My people come to work and I get them all revved up.