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| Date: | 1100-1200 |
| Language: | Old French |
| Origin: | 'quarrel' |
Related topics:
1 [countable]SC a situation in which a large crowd of people are behaving in a violent and uncontrolled way, especially when they are protesting about something : 
urban riotsprison riots police wearing riot gear (=the special clothing and equipment worn by police officers during a riot) police in bullet-proof vests and carrying riot shields (=a piece of very hard plastic which police officers stand behind to protect them)
urban riotsprison riotspolice wearing riot gear (=the special clothing and equipment worn by police officers during a riot)police in bullet-proof vests and carrying riot shields (=a piece of very hard plastic which police officers stand behind to protect them)2
run riot
a) if your imagination, emotions, thoughts etc run riot, you cannot or do not control them :
b) if people run riot, they behave in a violent, noisy, and uncontrolled way : Some people let their children run riot.
Some people let their children run riot.c) if a plant runs riot, it grows very quickly
3 something with many different bright colours : The garden is a riot of colour in spring.
a riot of colour
CThe garden is a riot of colour in spring.4 to give someone a strong warning that they must stop causing trouble - used humorously : If the kids don't settle down soon, I'll go up and read them the riot act.
read (somebody) the riot act
If the kids don't settle down soon, I'll go up and read them the riot act.