▪ I. revolt, n.1
(rɪˈvəʊlt, rɪˈvɒlt)
Also 6–7 reuolt, 6 revolte.
[a. F. révolte (1501, = Pg. revolta, It. rivolta, Sp. revuelta), vbl. n. from révolter: see revolt v.]
1. An instance, on the part of subjects or subordinates, of casting off allegiance or obedience to their rulers or superiors; an insurrection, rising, or rebellion. † to give (one) the revolt, to revolt against (one).
| 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 310 marg., A revolte. 1561 Brende Q. Curtius (1570) 184 For they had not lost the battaile at such tyme as the messengers were dispatched that brought the newes of their reuolt. 1567 Satir. Poems Reform. v. 109 Reuoltis hes bene ma nor fyftene. 1605 Shakes. Macb. i. ii. 2 He can report, As seemeth by his plight, of the Reuolt The newest state. Ibid. v. iv. 12 Both more and lesse haue giuen him the Reuolt, And none serue with him. 1615 G. Sandys Trav. 48 Whereby..the Empire [is] strengthened both against forraine inuasions, and reuolts of the subdued. 1667 Milton P.L. i. 33 Who first seduc'd them to that fowl revolt? Th' infernal Serpent. 1737 Whiston Josephus, Antiq. xx. vi. §3 The authors of this revolt from the Roman government. 1838 Thirlwall Greece V. 11 To engage the Macedonian towns in a revolt against their sovereign. 1841 R. H. Dana Seaman's Man. 245 Every person so offending..shall be deemed guilty of a revolt or mutiny and felony. 1871 Freeman Norm. Conq. IV. xvii. 75 William chose as his companions the men whose power he dreaded... In their absence revolts would be less to be feared. |
b. An act of this nature on the part of an individual; a movement of strong protest against, or refusal to submit to, some condition, practice, etc.
| 1599 Peele David & Beth. i. iii. 308 O prowd reuolt of a presumptious man, Laying his bridle in the necke of sin. 1621 Fletcher Isl. Princ. v. ii, 'Tis in their wills, their mercies,..And these revolts in you shew mere rebellions. 1710 Steele Tatler No. 135 ¶4 We frequently see the Apostates turning from their Revolt toward the End of their Lives. 1788 Gibbon Decl. & F. xlix. V. 127 The images, the first cause of their [sc. the popes] revolt, were restored. 1844 Emerson New Eng. Reformers Wks. (Bohn) I. 264 The revolt against the..inveterate abuses of cities did not appear possible to individuals. 1888 Bibliotheca Sacra Oct. 717 The iconoclasm of Protestantism was not a revolt against art, but against a misuse of art. |
c. A change of sides, or of opinion; an emphatic withdrawal from a party, etc.
| 1596 Warner Alb. Eng. xi. lxv. (1602) 280 She did obserue his soone Reuolt from friend to friend. c 1600 Shakes. Sonn. xcii, Thou canst not vex me with inconstant minde, Since that my life on thy reuolt doth lie. 1668 Dryden Dram. Poesy Ess. (ed. Ker) I. 24 'Tis a revolt, without occasion, from your party. |
2. The act of revolting or casting off allegiance; also, language tending to this (quot. 1611).
| c 1586 C'tess Pembroke Ps. lxxx. v, Then we preserv'd thy name shall magnify Without revolt. 1611 Bible Isa. lix. 13 Departing away from our God, speaking oppression and reuolt. 1781 Cowper Hope 181 Man is the genuine offspring of revolt. 1781 Gibbon Decl. & F. xxx. (1787) III. 173 The spirit of revolt, which had formerly disturbed the age of Gallienus, was revived. 1801 Encycl. Brit. Suppl. II. 404/1 They fixed upon the 20th of May as the day of revolt. 1854 Milman Lat. Chr. iv. vii. II. 158 An act of direct revolt, as prohibiting the payment of tribute by the Italian province. |
b. in revolt, in a state of rebellion.
| 1602 Marston Antonio's Rev. v. i, They can scarce retaine from bursting foorth In plaine revolt. 1821 Shelley Hellas 580 The Christian tribes Of Lebanon and the Syrian wilderness Are in revolt. 1860 Mrs. Browning Little Mattie iii, She will lie there in default And most innocent revolt. |
† c. Revulsion of appetite. Obs. rare—1.
| 1601 Shakes. Twel. N. ii. iv. 102 No motion of the Liuer, but the Pallat, That suffer surfet, cloyment, and reuolt. |
▪ II. † reˈvolt, n.2 Obs.
[? ad. F. révolté, pa. pple. of révolter: see next.]
A revolter or rebel.
| 1585 C. Fetherstone tr. Calvin on Acts vii. 1 He was accused as an Apostata or reuolt. 1600 Holland Livy xlii. lxv. 1154 Having intelligence by a rennegate revolt, that the Romans were scattered all over the fields. 1627 W. Sclater Exp. 2 Thess. (1629) 31 All equally suffer; as much Paganish Infants, as Christian Rebels or Reuolts. |
▪ III. revolt, v.
(rɪˈvəʊlt, rɪˈvɒlt)
Also 6 reuolt(e, revolte.
[ad. F. révolter (15–16th c.), = Pg. revoltar, ad. It. rivoltare:—L. type *revolutāre, f. re- re- + volutāre to roll, revolve, etc.]
I. intr.
1. To cast off († or change) allegiance; to rise against rulers or constituted authority.
| 1548 Elyot, Deficio, to go from one capitayne to an other, to reuolte. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 424 b, Al men..bycause they served against their wylles,..do revolte. 1573 P. More Almanack & Prognost. E iv b, Some noble men shall intende to reuolt. 1613 Purchas Pilgrimage iv. ix. (1614) 390 The sword signifieth death, if he reuolt againe. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. ii. xxviii. 163 Such as are they, that having been by their own act Subjects, deliberately revolting, deny the Soveraign Power. 1727 De Foe Syst. Magic i. iii. (1840) 71 Nor are the people we come to speak for, inclined to revolt or rebel. 1743 Bulkeley & Cummins Voy. S. Seas 183 If they should revolt at this Juncture, we shall stand a very bad Chance. 1836 Thirlwall Greece xiv. II. 210 Aristagoras opened these singular credentials, and read an invitation to revolt. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) V. 49 The youth revolted and refused to receive their own fathers. |
| fig. 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. iii. ii. 59 You are already loues firme votary, And cannot soone reuolt, and change your minde. |
b. To fall away from a ruler, obedience, etc.; to rise against a person or authority.
| 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 466 He sollicited the Emperour to make it frustrate: For he sawe how many revolted daily from his kingdome. 1610 Holland Camden's Brit. (1637) 587 After he had revolted..from King Henry the Third. 1667 Milton P.L. vi. 740, [I] shall soon..rid heav'n of these rebell'd..That from thy just obedience could revolt. a 1727 Newton Chronol. Amended (1728) 36 The Western nations..revolt from the Assyrians. 1768 Swift's Hen. I, S.'s Wks. IV. 285 The principal towns in Flanders revolted from him. 1838 Thirlwall Greece xlii. V. 193 Pydna..had revolted from Archelaus. 1839 Ibid. VI. 105 Little encouragement could be necessary to induce him to revolt against the sovereign whom he had unpardonably offended. 1874 Green Short Hist. vii. §8. 430 The national spirit of France revolted more and more from the rule of Spain. |
| transf. 1749 Smollett Gil Blas (1750) II. 31 It was feared..that he would revolt against the condition of the will. |
c. To go over to a rival power, etc. † Also with on (one's side).
| 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 202 He revolted unto the tentes of his adversaries. Ibid. 350 How much better were it, to abide thextreme peril, than..to revolte to the Romish Antichrist. 1593 Shakes. Rich. II, ii. ii. 89 The Commons they are cold, And will I feare reuolt on Herfords side. 1665 Manley Grotius' Low C. Wars 224 The hopes of great plunder allured many to revolt to the Enemy. 1692 Washington tr. Milton's Def. People Eng. M.'s Wks. 1851 VIII. 232 To revolt to the common Enemy in their hearts is the worst sort of absence. |
† d. In pa. pple. with is, was, etc. Obs.
| 1561 Brende Q. Curtius (1570) 10 b, He made al such feare him, as before were reuolted, and regarded him little. 1574 tr. Marlorat's Apocalips 37 As the mynd of man, whych is reuolted from God, is miserable or wretched. a 1618 Raleigh Mahomet (1637) 128 Valentia was revolted from his obedience. 1664 Marvell Corr. Wks. (Grosart) II. 124 When his Subjects were generally revolted, His Friends as it is usual most of them failed. |
† 2. a. To go over to another religion; to become a pervert (from some faith, etc.). Obs.
| 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 36 If they revolte unto Papistrie. 1563 Sandys in Strype Ann. Ref. (1709) I. xxxv. 356 He upon displesure departed from Mr. Goodrick, and revolted in religion. 1634 Sir T. Herbert Trav. 135 Julian was first a Christian, but reuolted and became a most bitter and constant Persecutour to all that honoured Christ. 1673 Cave Prim. Chr. i. ii. 19 Revolting from a way of Worship which had been universally received. 1681–6 J. Scott Chr. Life (1747) III. 132 All other Kings that were cotemporary with him were revolted to Idolatry. |
† b. To draw back from a course of action, etc.; to return to one's allegiance. Obs.
| 1570 Foxe A. & M. (ed. 2) 155 It is better not to take good things in hand, than after they be begune to thinke to reuolte backe from the same againe. c 1590 Marlowe Faustus xiii, Thou traitor, Faustus,..Revolt, or I'll in piece-meal tear thy flesh. 1610 G. Carleton Jurisdict. 171 The Pope..commanded the Archbishop to yeeld to the King without exception: whereupon hee did so, but afterward reuolted from that promise. |
† c. To depart from the truth. Obs. rare—1.
| 1585 C. Fetherstone tr. Calvin on Acts xv. 37 Paul might haue granted something to the importunatnesse of his fellow apostle and yet haue not reuolted from the trueth. |
3. To feel revulsion or disgust at something.
| 1760–2 Goldsm. Cit. W. cx[i]x, The observer revolts at this mixture of important and paltry claims. 1771 E. Griffith Hist. Lady Barton III. 261 My heart revolted at the mean idea. 1802 Beddoes Hygeia Advt. 7 Errors, at the grossness of which common sense..revolts. 1839 Times 27 July, Nature revolts at its complete infliction. 1878 Browning La Saisiaz 47 'Tis just the main assumption reason most revolts at! |
b. To rise in repugnance against something.
| 1775 C. Johnston Pilgrim 9 My heart revolted against eating at the same table with him. 1792 C. Smith Desmond III. 10 A preference against the indulgence of which her principles must revolt. 1829 Southey Sir T. More (1831) II. 119 The heart instinctively revolts against the unnatural privations which are imposed upon it. 1860 Holland Miss Gilbert's Career ix, Her whole nature, she felt, would revolt against the adverse judgment at once. |
c. To turn in loathing from something.
| 1782 R. Cumberland Anecd. Painters II. 87 The very eye that the hand of death was..closing..revolted with abhorrence from a disproportioned and ill-carved crucifix. 1796 Southey Lett. fr. Spain (1799) 299 How do we revolt from appearances, instead of from realities! 1806 H. Siddons Maid, Wife, & Widow I. 51 Every feeling of his heart and mind revolted from what he heard. 1863 Geo. Eliot Romola iii. xxiv, He knew well that her mind revolted from that means of escape. |
† 4. To return to a place. Obs. rare—1.
| 1567 Golding Ovid's Met. x. 68 Shee..then reuolted too the place in which he had her found. |
II. trans.
† 5. a. To turn back. Obs. rare—1.
| 1590 Spenser F.Q. iii. xi. 25 As a thonder bolt..doth displace The soring clouds..; So to her yold the flames, and did their force revolt. |
† b. To withdraw by revolting. Obs. rare—1.
| 1607 Dekker & Webster Sir T. Wyatt Wks. 1873 III. 98 Then they reuolt the allegiance from my Daughter, And giue it to another. |
† c. To cause to revolt. Obs. rare.
| 1574 Hellowes tr. Gueuara's Fam. Ep. (1577) 236 Whether of vs is moste culpable, I in following and obeying the King, or you in altering and reuolting ye kingdome. 1624 Bedell Lett. x. 136 Pope Constantine..reuolted Italie from the Greeke Emperours obedience. |
6. To affect (a person, etc.) with disgust or repugnance; to nauseate.
| 1751 Female Foundling I. 170 From that time [I] avoided the low Name of Nancy, which revolted my Pride and Vanity. 1790 Bystander 284 Lest it should..revolt the feelings of the public to see it turn about so suddenly. 1828 Scott F.M. Perth xvii, Why, man, thy policy were enough to revolt a heathen divan. 1855 Milman Lat. Chr. viii. viii. (1864) V. 32 Grave churchmen..who were revolted by these achievements in an ecclesiastic. 1867 Freeman Norm. Conq. (1877) I. vi. 496 The cruelties wrought on his captives deeply revolted the public opinion of the time. |
b. absol. To cause revulsion.
| 1898 Daily News 24 Jan. 8/5 You may not treat of a subject until it disgusts and revolts. |