riot

From Middle English riot (“debauched living, dissipation”), from Old French riote (“debate”). Compare French riotte.

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

riot (plural riots)

1. Wanton or unrestrained behavior; uproar; tumult.
   • Shakespeare

     His headstrong riot hath no curb.

2. The tumultuous disturbance of the public peace by an unlawful assembly of three or more persons in the execution of some private object.
3. A wide and unconstrained variety.
   • 1921, Edward Sapir, Language

     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".

     "In summer this flower garden is a riot of colour."

4. (obsolete) Excessive and expensive feasting; wild and loose festivity; revelry.
   • Chaucer

     Venus loveth riot and dispense.

   • Alexander Pope

     the lamb thy riot dooms to bleed to-day

• rioter
• run riot

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

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

   The nuclear protesters rioted outside the military base.

2. (obsolete) To act in an unrestrained or wanton manner; to indulge in excess of luxury, feasting, etc.
   • Daniel

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

   • Alexander Pope

     No pulse that riots, and no blood that glows.

• Tori, roti, tiro, tori, trio