riot

Etymology

From Middle English riot (“debauched living, dissipation”), from Old French riote (“debate”), from rioter (“to quarrel”), perhaps related to riboter or from Latin rugio (“I roar”). Compare French riotte and Occitan riòta.

noun

1. A tumultuous disturbance of the public peace by a large group of people, often involving violence or damage to property.
   The protests began peacefully but turned into riots after several days.
2. (figurative) A wide and unconstrained variety.
   In summer this flower garden is a riot of colour.
   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.” 1921, Edward Sapir, chapter VII, in Language: An Introduction to the Study of Speech
3. (colloquial, uncountable) A humorous or entertaining event or person.
   Check this out! We have to get this! I can't believe all this stuff! This is a total riot! 1997, Daniel Clowes, “The First Time”, in Ghost World, Jonathan Cape, published 2000, page 34
4. Wanton or unrestrained behavior or emotion.
5. (obsolete) Excessive and expensive feasting; wild and loose festivity; revelry.

verb

1. (intransitive) To create or take part in a riot; to raise an uproar or sedition.
   The nuclear protesters rioted outside the military base.
2. (intransitive, obsolete) To act in an unrestrained or wanton manner; to indulge in excess of feasting, luxury, etc.
3. (transitive) To cause to riot; to throw into a tumult.
4. (transitive) To annoy.