to break away from or rise against constituted authority, as by open rebellion; cast off allegiance or subjection to those in authority; rebel; mutiny: to revolt against the present government.
to turn away in mental rebellion, utter disgust, or abhorrence (usually followed by from): He revolts from eating meat.
to rebel in feeling (usually followed by against): to revolt against parental authority.
to feel horror or aversion (usually followed by at): to revolt at the sight of blood.
verb (used with object)
to affect with disgust or abhorrence: Such low behavior revolts me.
noun
the act of revolting; an insurrection or rebellion.
an expression or movement of spirited protest or dissent: a voter revolt at the polls.
Origin of revolt
1540–50; (v.) < Middle Frenchrevolter < Italianrivoltare to turn around < Vulgar Latin*revolvitāre, frequentative of Latinrevolvere to roll back, unroll, revolve; (noun) < Frenchrévolte < Italianrivolta, derivative of rivoltare
Related formsre·volt·er, nounun·re·volt·ed, adjectiveCan be confusedrebellionrevoltrevolution
1540s, from Middle French revolter (15c.), from Italian rivoltare "to overthrow, overturn," from Vulgar Latin *revolvitare "to overturn, overthrow," frequentative of Latin revolvere (past participle revolutus) "turn, roll back" (see revolve). Related: Revolted; revolting.
n.
1550s, from Middle French révolte (c.1500), back formation from revolter (see revolt (v.)), or else from Italian rivolta.
