unrest en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /ʌnˈɹɛst/
Etymology
From Middle English unreste, equivalent to un- + rest. Cognate with West Frisian ûnrêst (“unrest”), Dutch onrust (“unrest”), German Low German Unrüst (“unrest”). Compare also Saterland Frisian Uunraue (“unrest”), German Unruhe (“unrest”), Danish uro (“unrest”), Swedish oro (“unrest”), Icelandic órói (“unrest”). Compare also Old English orrest (“battle”), Old Norse orrosta, orresta (“battle”).
Meanings
-
(uncountable, usually) A state of trouble, confusion and turbulence, especially in a political context; a time of riots, demonstrations and protests.
Few expect the unrest to stop anytime soon. The government may hope to outflank the protest movement by painting them as unwilling to accept compromise, but even some of Lam’s allies have publicly said that the withdrawal was too little, too late.
2019 September 4, James Griffith, “Hong Kong government’s attempt to outflank protesters is doomed to fail”, in CNN:What words are these have fall’n from me? Can calm despair and wild unrest Be tenants of a single breast, Or sorrow such a changeling be?
1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XVI”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 26:
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(uncountable, usually) Something that troubles or confuses; that which causes unrest.
In her pyjamas, Sadie turned back the bedclothes to a single sheet, and settled down under it with a sigh of content; the languors of a body untroubled by mental unrests were a reward for the day's exertions.
1950, Norman Lindsay, Dust or Polish?, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 8:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| unrests | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Translations (38)
uk неспо́кій (state of trouble) · de Unruhen (state of trouble) · be хваляванні (state of trouble) · fr agitation (state of trouble) · ja 動乱 (state of trouble) · grc ἀκαταστασία (state of trouble) · ja 動揺 (state of trouble) · bg притеснение (state of trouble) · az təlatüm (state of trouble) · hy հուզում (state of trouble) · ru беспоря́дки (state of trouble) · cmn 動亂 /动乱 (state of trouble) · lv jukas (state of trouble) · es descontento (state of trouble) · da uro (state of trouble) · fi levottomuus (state of trouble) · ru волне́ния (state of trouble) · bg неспокойствие (state of trouble) · ro dezordine (state of trouble) · ltg jukums (state of trouble) · es inquietud (state of trouble) · es descontentamiento (state of trouble) · pt inquietação (state of trouble) · az narahatlıq (state of trouble) · be беспарадкі (state of trouble) · uk завору́шення (state of trouble) · sv oro (state of trouble) · ro tulburare (state of trouble) · pl zamieszki (state of trouble) · sq shqetësi (state of trouble) · kw ankres (state of trouble) · af onrus (state of trouble) · hy խռովություն (state of trouble) · cmn 動蕩 /动荡 or 動盪 /动荡 (state of trouble) · gd mì-shuaimhneas (state of trouble) · nl onrust (state of trouble) · fa بلوا (state of trouble) · no uro (state of trouble)