- [countable]
a situation in which a group of people behave in a violent way in a public place, often as a protest 暴乱；骚乱 One prison guard was killed when a riot broke out in the jail. 一位狱警在监狱骚乱中丧生。 He was killed in the riots. 他在暴乱中被杀。 Shortages eventually led to food riots. 供应短缺最终引起争抢食物的暴乱。
Extra ExamplesTopics Social issuesc1, Crime and punishmentc1Prison riots broke out over worsening conditions. 因为条件越来越差，监狱发生了暴乱。 The city's housing and unemployment problems provoked serious riots. 该市的住房和失业问题引发了严重的骚乱。 a riot against bread prices 面包价格引发的暴动 the violent draft riots during the Civil War 内战期间爆发的激烈的征兵暴动 Food riots resulted in two deaths and looting throughout the city. 粮食骚乱导致两人死亡和全城劫掠。 His arrest caused widespread riots that the government suppressed with brutality. 他的被捕引起了广泛的骚乱，政府用暴力镇压了骚乱。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- major
- serious
- full-scale
- …
- cause
- incite
- instigate
- …
- begin
- break out
- erupt
- …
- cop
- police
- squad
- …
- during a/the riot
- in a/the riot
- riot against
- …
- run riot
- [singular] riot of something (formal)
a collection of a lot of different types of the same thing 丰富多彩；品种繁多 The garden was a riot of colour. 花园里色彩缤纷。 The market was a riot of unfamiliar sounds and smells. 市场充满了陌生的声音和气味。 A riot of emotions raged through her. 一股强烈的情绪在她体内蔓延。
- a riot[singular] (old-fashioned, informal)
a person or an event that is very funny 非常有趣的人（或事） The movie is a laugh riot. 这部电影很搞笑。
Word OriginMiddle English (originally in the sense ‘dissolute living’): from Old French riote ‘debate’, from rioter ‘to quarrel’, of unknown ultimate origin.
Idioms
read (somebody) the Riot Act
- (British English)
to tell somebody with force that they must not do something 警告（某人）不得做某事
run riot
(of people 人 to behave in a way that is violent and/or not under control 撒野；恣意妄为 if your imagination, a feeling, etc. runs riot, you allow it to develop and continue without trying to control it （指想象、情感等）任意发挥，奔放 An artist must learn to let his imagination run riot. 艺术家必须学会让自己的想象力自由驰骋。 These prejudices have been allowed to run riot for too long. 这些偏见已经被放任太久了。
(of plants 植物 to grow and spread quickly 生长繁茂；疯长