riot

[[t]ra͟ɪ͟ət[/t]]

♦♦♦

riots, rioting, rioted

1) N-COUNT When there is a riot, a crowd of people behave violently in a public place, for example they fight, throw stones, or damage buildings and vehicles.

Twelve inmates have been killed during a riot at the prison.

2) VERB If people riot, they behave violently in a public place.

Last year 600 inmates rioted, starting fires and building barricades...

They rioted in protest against the government.

Derived words:

rioter plural N-COUNT

The militia dispersed the rioters.

rioting N-UNCOUNT

At least fifteen people are now known to have died in three days of rioting.

3) N-SING: a N of n (approval) If you say that there is a riot of something pleasant such as colour, you mean that there is a large amount of various types of it.

All the cacti were in flower, so that the desert was a riot of colour...

With Indian cuisine, you expect a riot of tastes and spices.

4) PHRASE: V inflects If someone in authority reads you the riot act, they tell you that you will be punished unless you start behaving properly.

I'm glad you read the riot act to Billy. He's still a kid and still needs to be told what to do.

5) PHRASE: V inflects If people run riot, they behave in a wild and uncontrolled manner.

Rampaging prisoners ran riot through Strangeways jail.

6) PHRASE: V inflects If something such as your imagination runs riot, it is not limited or controlled, and produces ideas that are new or exciting, rather than sensible.

She dressed strictly for comfort and economy, but let her imagination run riot with costume jewelry...

We have no proof and when there is no proof, rumour runs riot.