Great Revolt
- proper noun
- The Great Revolt of 1381 was a significant event in English history, highlighting the struggles of the lower classes against oppressive taxes.
Examples
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During the Great Revolt, thousands of peasants marched to London to demand changes in the social and economic system.
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Historians often refer to the Great Revolt as a pivotal moment that raised awareness about the injustices faced by the poor in medieval England.
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The al-Aqsa Intifada therefore resembles not only the intifada of 1987, but also the Great Revolt in 1936.
Academic text (2002) -
If we are to believe Yadin and most modern students of Masada, the people who took Masada and held out there for six years were survivors of the Zealots who had masterminded the Great Revolt and who, under the leadership of Eleazar ben Yair, wanted to live as free people.
Academic text (2002)
Synonyms
A violent attempt to remove a government or ruler
A large rebellion in England in 1381 by poor farmers against taxes and unfair treatment
A major uprising in England in 1381 when country people protested taxes and unfair treatment by rulers
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'great' (major/significant) modifies 'revolt' (rebellion/insurrection), so a learner who knows both words would infer 'a major uprising' even if they don't know the specific 1381 historical referent. As a proper-name for a historical event it conveys a predictable descriptive meaning rather than an idiomatic shift, so its sense is transparent from the parts.
Etymology
Great Revolt comes from the picture of many ordinary people rising up together in England in 1381. Peasants marched to London, attacked the houses of officials and demanded an end to unfair taxes, so the name means 'a large, important rebellion'.