a. Also 6 -eous, 7 -ious. [ad. OF. tumultuous, F. tumultueux, ad. L. tumultuōs-us full of tumult, bustle, or confusion: f. tumultu-s TUMULT: see -OUS.]
1. Full of tumult or commotion; marked by confusion and uproar; disorderly and noisy; violent and clamorous; turbulent.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Edw. IV., 223. Suche, as in the last tumulteous busines, toke part with … Fauconbrige.
1553. Brende, Q. Curtius, x. 210 b. They … disturbed his tale with their tumultuous crye.
1638. Sir T. Herbert, Trav. (ed. 2), 274. After 30 yeeres tumultuous reigne.
1739. Wesley, Wks. (1830), I. 214. I do indeed go out into the highways and hedges, but not in a tumultuous manner.
1807. Wordsw., White Doe, II. 62. Tumultuous noises filled the hall.
1840. Hawthorne, Biog. Sk. Sir W. Pepperrell (1879), 193. The tumultuous advance of the conquering army.
1881. Jowett, Thucyd., I. 160. Embarking in tumultuous haste.
† b. Tending to excite tumult; seditious. Obs.
1619. [implied in TUMULTUOUSNESS].
1623. Cockeram, Tumultuous, seditious, full of trouble.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., II. xxii. 122. An unlawfull, and tumultuous designe.
1679. Luttrell, Brief Rel. (1857), I. 27. Tumultuous and seditious petitions.
† c. Causing tumult; disturbing, disquieting. Obs. rare.
1604. R. Cawdrey, Table Alph., Tumultuous, troublous, disturbing or disquieting.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, IV. vi. § 3. The tumultuous newes of Lysimachus his victories.
2. Making a tumult or commotion; acting in a disorderly and noisy way; turbulent, riotous.
1576. Fleming, Panopl. Epist., 49. He might … fortifie, with his ayde,… those tumultuous villaines.
1635. Jackson, Creed, VIII. xvii. § 6. The promised Prince of peace … should not be sought amongst the tumultuous hosts of warre.
a. 1718. Prior, 1st Hymn Callimachus, 59. The fierce Curetes … trod tumultuous Their Mystic Dance.
1868. E. Edwards, Ralegh, I. xxi. 471. His house was beset by a tumultuous crowd.
3. Of physical actions or agents: Marked by disorderly commotion; acting or moving irregularly and violently; confusedly agitated; tempestuous.
1667. Milton, P. L., II. 936. The strong rebuff of som tumultuous cloud Instinct with Fire.
1794. G. Adams, Nat. & Exp. Philos., I. ix. 335. A sudden and very tumultuous ebullition ensued.
1843. R. J. Graves, Syst. Clin. Med., ix. 104. The action of the heart tumultuous.
1856. Kane, Arct. Expl., I. ix. 97. A roaring and tumultuous river.
1870. Morris, Earthly Par. (1871), IV. 124. The far-off rooks’ sweet tumultuous voice.
4. fig. of, or in reference to, emotion or thought.
1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 16. His dire attempt, which nigh the birth Now rowling, boiles in his tumultuous brest.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe (1840), II. iii. 57. He … found his thoughts tumultuous.
1772. Priestley, Inst. Relig. (1782), II. 102. Tumultuous joy.
1822–56. De Quincey, Confess., Wks. 1897, III. 446. A tumultuous dream.
