Reb"el (rb"l), a. [F. rebelle, fr. L. rebellis. See Rebel, v. i.]
Pertaining to rebels or rebellion; acting in revolt; rebellious; as,
rebel troops.
Whoso be rebel to my judgment.
Chaucer.
Convict by flight, and rebel to all law.
Milton.
Reb"el, n. [F. rebelle.] One who rebels.
Syn. -- Revolter; insurgent. -- Rebel, Insurgent. Insurgent marks an
early, and rebel a more advanced, stage of opposition to government.
The former rises up against his rulers, the latter makes war upon them.
Re*bel" (r*bl"), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Rebelled (-bld); p. pr. & vb. n.
Rebelling.] [F. rebeller, fr. L. rebellare to make war again; pref. re-
again + bellare to make war, fr. bellum war. See Bellicose, and cf.
Revel to carouse.] 1. To renounce, and resist by force, the authority
of the ruler or government to which one owes obedience. See Rebellion.
The murmur and the churls' rebelling.
Chaucer.
Ye have builded you an altar, that ye might rebel this day against
the Lord.
Josh. xxii. 16.
2. To be disobedient to authority; to assume a hostile or insubordinate
attitude; to revolt.
How could my hand rebel against my heart? How could your heart
rebel against your reason?
Dryden.
Reb"el*dom (rb"l*dm), n. A region infested by rebels; rebels,
considered collectively; also, conduct or quality characteristic of
rebels. Thackeray.
Re*bel"ler (r*bl"lr), n. One who rebels; a rebel.
Re*bel"lion (r*bl"yn), n. [F. rébellion, L. rebellio. See Rebel, v. i.
Among the Romans rebellion was originally a revolt or open resistance
to their government by nations that had been subdued in war. It was a
renewed war.] 1. The act of rebelling; open and avowed renunciation of
the authority of the government to which one owes obedience, and
resistance to its officers and laws, either by levying war, or by
aiding others to do so; an organized uprising of subjects for the
purpose of coercing or overthrowing their lawful ruler or government by
force; revolt; insurrection.
No sooner is the standard of rebellion displayed than men of
desperate principles resort to it.
Ames.