Definitions for: Rebel


[n] a person who takes part in an armed rebellion against the constituted authority (especially in the hope of improving conditions)
[n] someone who exhibits great independence in thought and action
[n] (informal) `johnny' was applied as a nickname for Confederate soldiers by the Federal soldiers in the American Civil War; `grayback' derived from their gray Confederate uniforms
[adj] used by northerners of Confederate soldiers; "the rebel yell"
[v] take part in a rebellion; renounce a former allegiance
[v] break with established customs



Webster (1913) Definition: Reb"el, a. [F. rebelle, fr. L. rebellis. See Rebel, v.
t.]
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.

Usage: 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", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Rebelled; 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 churl's 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.

Hoe could my hand rebel against my heart? How could
you heart rebel against your reason? --Dryden.

Synonyms: arise, freedom fighter, grayback, insurgent, insurrectionist, Johnny, Johnny Reb, maverick, Reb, renegade, rise, rise up, southern

See Also: Confederate soldier, crusader, Denmark Vesey, dissent, meliorist, mutineer, mutiny, Nat Turner, nonconformist, protest, recusant, reformer, reformist, resist, revolt, revolutionary, revolutionist, Sir William Wallace, subversive, subverter, Turner, Vesey, Wallace

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