"war waged against a government by some portion of its subjects" (originally especially against God or Church authority), mid-14c., rebellioun, from Old French rebellion (14c.) and directly from Latin rebellionem (nominative rebellio) "rebellion, revolt; renewal of war," from rebellis "insurgent, rebellious" (see rebel (adj.)).
1900, a name based on a mistranslation of the name of a Chinese xenophobic society, I-He-T'uan, "Righteous Harmony Band," rendered by British as I-He-Ch'uan "Righteous Uniting Fists," and so associated with the pugilistic boxer.
1867, abbreviation of Grand Army of the Republic, the organization founded by union veterans of the American Civil War. The Grand Army was the name given (on the French model) to the army that organized in Washington in 1861 to put down the rebellion.
mid-15c., sedicious, "tending to incite treason, given to or guilty of sedition," from Old French sedicios (Modern French séditieux) and directly from Latin seditiosus "full of discord, factious, mutinous," from seditio "civil disorder, rebellion, mutiny" (see sedition). Related: Seditiously; seditiousness. As a noun, seditionary is attested from c. 1600.
mid-14c., sedicioun, "rebellion, uprising, revolt, factitious commotion in the state; concerted attempt to overthrow civil authority; violent strife between factions, civil or religious disorder, riot; rebelliousness against authority," from Old French sedicion (14c., Modern French sédition) and directly from Latin seditionem (nominative seditio) "civil disorder, dissension, strife; rebellion, mutiny," literally "a going apart, separation." This is from sed- "without, apart, aside" (see se-) + itio "a going," from ire "to go" (from PIE root *ei- "to go").
In early use, 'factious with tumult, turbulent' (J.); now chiefly, engaged in promoting disaffection or inciting to revolt against constituted authority [OED]
The meaning "conduct or language inciting to rebellion against a lawful government" is attested by 1838. Less serious than treason, as wanting an overt act.
But it is not essential to the offense of sedition that it threaten the very existence of the state or its authority in its entire extent. Thus, there are seditious assemblies, seditious libels, etc., as well as direct and indirect threats and acts amounting to sedition — all of which are punishable as misdemeanors by fine and imprisonment. [Century Dictionary]
Latin seditio was glossed in Old English by unsib, folcslite.
"insult, snub," 1962, from verbal phrase put down "to snub," attested from c. 1400 in this sense, earlier (c. 1300) "to lower, let down," also (mid-14c.) "to throw down, reject;" see put (v.) + down (adv.). To put (something) down "end by force or authority" (a rebellion, etc.) is from mid-14c. Compare set-down "a rebuff, a scolding" (1780).
"insurrection, rebellion, uprising against government or authority," 1550s, from French révolte (c. 1500), which is a back-formation from revolter (see revolt (v.)) or else from cognate Italian rivolta.
late 14c. (c. 1200 as a surname), "riotous merry-making," also an occasion of this, from Old French revel, resvel "entertainment, revelry," verbal noun from reveler, also rebeller (14c.) "be disorderly, make merry" (see rebel (adj.)). "The development of sense in OF. is 'rebellion, tumult, disturbance, noisy mirth'" [OED].
Formerly especially a kind of dance or performance given in connection with masks or pageants, a dancing procession (usually revels). Related: revel-rout "riotous throng."
also hurlyburly, "commotion, tumult," 1530s, apparently an alteration of phrase hurling and burling, reduplication of 14c. hurling "commotion, tumult," verbal noun of hurl (v.). Shakespeare has hurly "tumult, uproar," and Hurling time (early 15c.) was the name applied by chroniclers to the period of tumult and commotion around Wat Tyler's rebellion. Scott (1814) has hurly-house "large house in a state of advanced disrepair." Comparison also has been made to dialectal Swedish hurra "whirl round" (compare hurry (v.)).
mid-14c., "one who forsakes his religion or faith," from Old French apostat and directly from Late Latin apostata (which form also was used in Middle English), from Greek apostasia, apostasis "defection, desertion, rebellion," from apostanai "to defect," literally "to stand off," from apo "off, away from" (see apo-) + stanai, aorist of histanai "to set, place," literally "cause to stand" (from PIE root *sta- "to stand, make or be firm").
The word was used from mid-14c. in non-religious situations, "one who has forsaken the party, opinion, etc., to which he previously adhered."
