▪ I. mutiny, n.
(ˈmjuːtɪnɪ)
Forms: 6 mutinee, mutenye, (-inye, -yny, -enie), 6–7 mutinie, (7 muttenie), 6– mutiny.
[f. mutine v. or n. + -y, ? after felony. Cf. the earlier mutinery, mutinewe.]
1. Open revolt against constituted authority; now chiefly spec. revolt on the part of a disciplined body (esp. military or naval) or a section of it against its officers; behaviour subversive of discipline, mutinous conduct.
| 1579 Fenton Guicciard. i. (1599) 33 Townes would fall into tumults, men would draw into mutinie [printed munitie]. 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, i. i. 160 The Earle of Salisbury craueth supply, And hardly keepes his men from mutinie. 1633 Bp. Hall Occas. Medit. xlvii. (ed. 3) 115 Wee cannot quench hot and unruly desires in youth without some mutiny, & rebellious opposition. 1648 C. Walker Hist. Independ. i. 34 margin, The Army put into mutiny against the Parliament. 1673 Articles & Rules for better Govt. of H.M. Forces xv, No Officer or Souldier shall utter any words tending to Sedition, Mutiny, or Uproar. 1743 Bulkeley & Cummins Voy. S. Seas Pref. 17 We were..advised..not to return to our Country, lest we should suffer Death for Mutiny. 1780 Cowper Table T. 452 He gives the word, and mutiny soon roars In all her gates. 1821 Shelley Hellas 570 His name..Holds our besieging army like a spell In prey to famine, pest, and mutiny. 1857 Keith Young Delhi (1902) 11, 15th May. Hear a rumour of the Goorkha corps..in open mutiny, and refusing to march. 1889 Clark Russell Marooned xiii, The crew are in a state of mutiny. |
b. In particularized sense: A mutinous revolt; a rebellion of a considerable number of soldiers, sailors, or other persons in subordinate position, against those set in authority over them.
the Indian Mutiny, a revolt of the native troops of Bengal in 1857–8.
| 1581 Savile Tacitus, Hist. i. xviii. (1591) 45 A mutinee of the Gard-souldiers. 1583 Stubbes Anat. Abus. ii. (1882) 4 Mutenies, wars, and ciuill dissentions. 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, v. i. 62 Ile..sacke this Country with a mutiny. 1647 Clarendon Hist. Reb. i. §87 Mutinies in the fleet and army, under pretence of their want of pay. 1688 Act 1 Will. & Mary c. 5 §2 Every Person being in Their Majestyes Service..who shall..Joyne in any Mutiny or Sedition in the Army. 1789 Brand Hist. Newcastle II. 304 The coal⁓trade at Newcastle was for some time put a stop to by a mutiny of the keelmen. 1835 Marryat Jac. Faithf. xxix, We have had a regular mutiny, and attempt to take the ship from me. 1901 Scotsman 9 Mar. 8/3 The Irish mutiny in the House of Commons has been suppressed. |
c. In attrib. uses; often with the meaning ‘that took part in or was present during the Indian Mutiny’.
Mutiny Act, an Act, passed annually from 1689 to 1879, authorizing the crown to frame ‘Articles of War’ dealing with offences against discipline in the military and naval forces and the constitution of courts-martial. It is now embodied in the Army Act, 1881. So also mutiny bill.
| 1731–2 Earl of Strafford Sp. in Hist. & Proc. Ho. Lords (1742) IV. 61, I am entirely against this Bill, or any Mutiny-Bill; because it is the turning of our Civil Government into a Military Government. 1765 Blackstone Comm. I. 409 By the annual mutiny acts, a soldier may be arrested for a debt which [etc.]. 1857 Keith Young Delhi (1902) 3, 28th March.—At work all the morning at that mutiny case. 1895 Kipling 2nd Jungle Bk. 114, I was a Mutiny baby, as they call it. 1903 Daily Chron. 3 Jan. 5/6 Last night the Mutiny veterans..held a special dinner at the camp. |
† 2. Discord, contention; a state of discord, a dispute, quarrel. Phrase, in or at (a) mutiny. Obs.
| 1567 Fenton Trag. Disc. i. 34 b, He..(besides a thousand pettie mutynies that fall out in housekeping,) escapeth seldom without a sprit of grudge or cyuill discension, disturbynge hys quiet. 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. i. i. 170 A man of complements whom right and wrong Haue chose as vmpire of their mutinie. 1589 Greene Menaphon I 4, He found all the Swaines in a mutinie about the recouery of their beautifull Paragon. 1592 ― Disput. 35 At this pleasant Tale all the boord was at a mutinie, and they said the gentleman did passing wisely. 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. i. v. 82 Youle make a Mutinie among the Guests. 1593 ― Lucr. 1153 So with her selfe is shee in mutinie, To liue or die which of the twaine were better. 1605 Play Stucley F 4 b, Are then Molucco and his brother king, At ciuill mutinie among themselves. 1632 Lithgow Trav. x. 474 What mutinies and malice, are dayly among your Monasteries, each enuying anothers priuiledge. 1643 in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 494 Such..persons..may absent..themselves.., least that theare may be any muttenie or disorder in the said companies or meetinges. 1667 Milton P.L. ii. 926 Then if..these Elements In mutinie had from her Axle torn The stedfast Earth. |
▪ II. mutiny, v.
(ˈmjuːtɪnɪ)
[f. mutiny n.]
1. intr. To commit the offence of mutiny; to rise in revolt against (rarely † upon); to refuse submission to discipline or obedience to the lawful command of a superior, esp. in the military and naval services.
| 1584 Leycesters Commw. 53 Cal you but to minde..when her Ma{ddd}did wyth-draw, but a litle her wounted fauour..towardes him: did not al the Court as it were, mutinie presentlie? 1600 Shakes. A.Y.L. i. i. 24 The spirit of my Father, which I thinke is within mee, begins to mutinie against this seruitude. 1679 in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. iii. IV. 309 The Duke of Albemarle..daily expected the army in London would mutiny upon him for want of pay. 1688 Act 1 Will. & Mary c. 5 (title) An Act for punishing Officers or Soldiers who shall Mutiny or Desert Their Majestyes Service. 1761 Hume Hist. Eng. iii. lx. 294 Dundalk..was delivered up by the troops who mutinied against their governor. 1814 Scott Wav. xiv, Saunders..began to mutiny against the labour for which he now scarce received thanks. 1864 Spectator 24 Dec. 1467 The shopmen..found out..that their life was a little too like life on slave plantation..and at last they mutinied. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) III. 372 They mutiny and take possession of the ship. |
† b. Conjugated with to be. Obs. rare.
| 1648 Gage West Ind. vi. 19 Wee..thereby guessed at the truth that the Barbarians were mutinied. 1656 Earl of Monmouth tr. Boccalini's Advts. fr. Parnass. 56 Their Scouts..brought back word, that the whole Militia of Janisaries were mutinied against the Ottaman Monarchy. |
c. fig.
| 1594 Shakes. Rich. III, i. iv. 142 'Tis a blushing shame⁓fac'd spirit [i.e. conscience], that mutinies in a mans bosom: It filles a man full of Obstacles. 1751 Johnson Rambler No. 133 ¶4 The powers of pleasure mutiny for employment. 1795 Southey Maid of Orleans ii. 361 Temperate Myself, no blood that mutinied,..I sent abroad Murder and Rape. a 1822 Shelley Chas. I, ii. 144 The baser elements Had mutinied against the golden sun That kindles them to harmony. |
† d. To contend or strive (with); to quarrel.
| 1593 Shakes. Rich. II, ii. i. 28 All too late comes counsell to be heard, Where will doth mutiny with wits regard. 1606 ― Ant. & Cl. iii. xi. 13 My very haires do mutiny: for the white Reproue the browne for rashnesse, and they them For feare. 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks (1621) 152 The Catalonians began to mutinie among themselues. |
† 2. trans. To cause to mutiny or rebel against.
| 1643 Prynne Sov. Power Parlt. App. 39 The Duke of Guise..mutinies the Citizens against the King. 1648 C. Walker Hist. Independ. i. 34 Cromwell..by mutinying the Army against the Parliament, made them his owne. |
Hence ˈmutinied ppl. a., ˈmutinying vbl. n. and ppl. a.
| 1600 St. Papers, Domestic 447 The Archduke, having reclaimed his mutinied Spaniards..left the Infanta at Ghent. 16.. F. Davison Ps. lxxiii, Leaue mutyniing, and rest secure. 1665 Manley Grotius' Low C. Warres 321 This mad mutinying frenzy was..among all the Garrisons of Germany. 1671 W. Perwich Despatches (1903) 137 The Newfoundland's ships..will..loose their season..through the obstinacy of the mutinyed seamen. a 1716 South Serm. (1842) III. 372 The mutinying of the army about St. Albans. 1873 Daily News 26 Aug., The mutinied regiments of Iberia. |