Adjacent Words

Insurrection definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

INSURREC'TION, n. [L. insurgo; in and surgo, to rise.]
1. A rising against civil or political authority; the open and active opposition of a number of persons to the execution of a law in a city or state. It is equivalent to sedition, except that sedition expresses a less extensive rising of citizens. It differs from rebellion, for the latter expresses a revolt, or an attempt to overthrow the government, to establish a different one or to place the country under another jurisdiction. It differs from mutiny, as it respects the civil or political government; whereas a mutiny is an open opposition to law in the army or navy. Insurrection is however used with such latitude as to comprehend either sedition or rebellion.
It is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings,and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein. Ezra 4.
2. A rising in mass to oppose an enemy. [Little used.]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: organized opposition to authority; a conflict in which one faction tries to wrest control from another [syn: rebellion, insurrection, revolt, rising, uprising]

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Middle English insureccion, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin insurrection-, insurrectio, from insurgere Date: 15th century an act or instance of revolting against civil authority or an established government Synonyms: see rebellion • insurrectional adjective • insurrectionary adjective or noun • insurrectionist noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. a rising in open resistance to established authority; a rebellion. Derivatives: insurrectional adj. insurrectionary adj. insurrectionist n. Etymology: ME f. OF f. LL insurrectio -onis (as INSURGENT)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Insurrection In`sur*rec"tion, n. [L. insurrectio, fr. insurgere, insurrectum: cf. F. insurrection. See Insurgent.] 1. A rising against civil or political authority, or the established government; open and active opposition to the execution of law in a city or state. It is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein. --Ezra iv. 19. 2. A rising in mass to oppose an enemy. [Obs.] Syn: Insurrection, Sedition, Revolt, Rebellion, Mutiny. Usage: Sedition is the raising of commotion in a state, as by conspiracy, without aiming at open violence against the laws. Insurrection is a rising of individuals to prevent the execution of law by force of arms. Revolt is a casting off the authority of a government, with a view to put it down by force, or to substitute one ruler for another. Rebellion is an extended insurrection and revolt. Mutiny is an insurrection on a small scale, as a mutiny of a regiment, or of a ship's crew. I say again, In soothing them, we nourish 'gainst our senate The cockle of rebellion, insolence, sedition. --Shak. Insurrections of base people are commonly more furious in their beginnings. --Bacon. He was greatly strengthened, and the enemy as much enfeebled, by daily revolts. --Sir W. Raleigh. Though of their names in heavenly records now Be no memorial, blotted out and razed By their rebellion from the books of life. --Milton.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(insurrections) An insurrection is violent action that is taken by a large group of people against the rulers of their country, usually in order to remove them from office. (FORMAL) They were plotting to stage an armed insurrection. = uprising, insurgency N-VAR

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

in-su-rek'-shun: The word in Ps 64:2 the King James Version is changed in the Revised Version (British and American) into "tumult"; in Ezr 4:19 (verb) it represents the Aramaic nesa', to "lift up oneself." In the New Testament stasis, is rendered "insurrection" in Mr 15:7 the King James Version (where compare the verb "made insurrection"), but in Lu 23:19,25 "sedition." the Revised Version (British and American) correctly renders "insurrection" throughout; also in Ac 24:5 "insurrections" for the King James Version "sedition."

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Rebellion, revolt, sedition, mutiny, rising, uprising.