Also 6 uprour(e, 6–7 uprore (9), -roare. [ad. Du. oproer or MLG. uprôr (MHG. ûfruor, G. aufruhr), f. op-, up- UP- 2 + roer, rôr ROAR sb.2 Cf. also WFris. oproer, oproar, Da. oprør, Norw. upprør, Sw. up(p)rör. In sense 2 associated with ROAR sb.1
First used by Tindale and Coverdale in passages in which Luther’s Bible has aufruhr. In the same passages the Dutch version of 1563 has oproer, which in that of 1531 appears only as a marginal variant to 2 Kings xi. 14.]
1. An insurrection or rising of the populace; a serious tumult, commotion, or outbreak of disorder among the people or a body of persons. Also without article. Now rare.
α. 1526. Tindale, Acts xxi. 38. That Ægipcian whych … made an vproure, and ledde out into the wildernes about iiij. thousande men.
1535. Coverdale, 2 Kings xi. 14. Athalia rente hir clothes, & sayde vproure, vproure.
1555. Watreman, Fardle Facions, II. xi. 247. Among them is no mutinyng, no vproures, no sturres.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 13 b. Who shall represse the sodayne insurrections and civile vprours [L. motus]?
β. a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VI., 169 b. The beginner of this temerarious commocion, and sodain vprore.
1561. Daus, trans. Bullinger on Apoc., lxxvi. 524. Al wise men haue greuousely condemned seditions, which we are wonte to calle tumultes or vprores.
1595. Daniel, Civ. Wars, III. xix. Least the realme might chance indure Some new reuolt, or any fresh vprore.
1606. G. W[oodcocke], Hist. Ivstine, XXXIV. 112. That the kingdome should remaine in more safety, and lesse vprore.
1628. Coke, On Litt., 109 b. Keeping the king’s peace in time of sudden uprores.
γ. a. 1586. C’tess Pembroke, Ps. LXV. iv. When stormy uproares tosse the peoples brayn.
1607. Dekker, Wh. Babylon, C 2 b. Confusion, tyranie, vproares will shake all.
1677. Hubbard, Narrative, II. 84. These late Uproars amongst the Indians.
1702. Calamy, Life Baxter, vi. 76. To avoid Uproars of this kind, he was advis’d to withdraw a while from Home.
1748. Anson’s Voy., III. vi. 347. The officers found it difficult for some time to appease the uproar.
1905. J. H. McCarthy, Dryad, 258. There was nothing so wonderful in the crushing of such an uproar as that of the Catalan Grand Company.
b. In fig. uses.
1593. Shaks., Lucr., 427. His eye, which late this mutiny restrains, Unto a greater uproar tempts his veins.
1602. Marston, Ant. & Mel., I. The rocks gron’d At the intestine uprore of the maine.
2. Loud outcry or vociferation; noise of shouting or tumult.
1544. Betham, Precepts War, I. clxiii. H vj. The souldiours … cannot take anye counsayle of thynges to be doone in suche vprore and wepynges [of women].
1590. Spenser, F. Q., II. ii. 20. That all on vprore … The house was raysd, and all that in did dwell.
1613. Purchas, Pilgrimage (1614), 386. The King was receiued into the house…, where without any vproar he slew seuentie.
1667. Milton, P. L., X. 479. Night and Chaos wilde … fiercely oppos’d My journey strange, with clamorous uproare Protesting Fate supreame.
1718. Free-thinker, No. 63. 52. A Field of War, stained with Blood, and filled with Uproar and Confusion.
1820. Keats, Hyperion, III. 1. Thus in alternate uproar and sad peace, Amazed were those Titans utterly.
1852. Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., xxxv. 317. The sound of wild shrieking,… mingled with the barking of dogs and other symptoms of general uproar.
transf. 1726. Thomson, Winter, 190. Wild Uproar lords it wide; the Clouds commixt, With Stars, swift-gliding, sweep along the Sky.
1820. Keats, Eve St. Agnes, xl. The arras … Flutter’d in the besieging wind’s uproar.
b. With article (an or the) and in pl.
1572. Forrest, Theophilus, 1057. Although to his shame yt make an uprore Of admyration before the worldes sight.
1623. Bingham, Xenophon, 98. We heard vpon the sudden a great vprore and cry, Strike, strike, throw, throw.
a. 1670. Hacket, Abp. Williams, II. (1693), 187. The daily Uproars about his Palace of Whitehall, which did emperil and threaten his Life.
1760. G. Colman, Polly Honeycombe, 19. There’s always an uproar in the family about marrying the daughter.
1794. Mrs. Radcliffe, Myst. Udolpho, xxx. It was the wild uproar of riot, not the cheering gaiety of tempered mirth.
1832. Downes, Lett. Cont. Countries, I. 291. Hearing … a prodigious uproar in the street, we hastened to the window.
1849. C. Brontë, Shirley, xv. His uproars are all sound and fury, signifying nothing.
1897. Henty, On the Irrawaddy, 152. The uproar of the advancing crowd was prodigious. Every man was yelling, at the top of his voice.
3. In (an) uproar, in a state of tumult, commotion, or excitement.
(a) 1548. Udall, etc., Erasm. Par. Mark, Pref. C iv b. To haue all the worlde in an vprore, and inquieted with warres.
1596. Danett, trans. Comines (1614), 55. Those that escaped put all the country in an vprore as they went.
1635. Life & Pranks Long Meg of Westm., viii. 16. The street was in such an uproar.
1778. Miss Burney, Evelina, xl. For some minutes the room seemed quite in an uproar [of laughter].
1831. [Hare], trans. Tieck’s Old Man of Mount., 40. His head is in an uprore, his heart throbs tumultuously.
1848. L. Hunt, Jar of Honey, 188. Thus it was at Alcamo, where the streets seemed to be in an uproar till after midnight.
1853. Kane, Grinnell Exp. (1856), 522. Ice in an uproar.
(b) 1597. Beard, Theatre God’s Judgem. (1612), 68. Whereat heauen grieuing, clad it selfe in blacke: But earth in vprore triumpht at their wracke.
1630. R. Johnson’s Kingd. & Commw., 573. All Persia was in uprore about the election of a new Prince.
a. 1700. Evelyn, Diary, 16 Aug., 1650. As we pass’d St. Denis the people were in uproar.
