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The raising of commotion in a state, not amounting to insurrection; conduct tending to treason, but without an overt act; excitement of discontent against the government, or of resistance to lawful authority. In soothing them, we nourish 'gainst our senate The cockle of rebellion, insolence, sedition. Shak. Noisy demag…

To be a state of ebullition or violent commotion; to be hot; to boil. 1 Sam. ii. 13. A long Pointe, round which the Mississippi used to whirl, and seethe, and foam. G. W. Cable.

Public disturbance or commotion; tumultuous disorder; seditious uproar. Being advertised of some stirs raised by his unnatural sons in England. Sir J. Davies.

The act of stirring; stir; commotion. [Obs.] T. Granger.

A violent agitation of human society; a civil, political, or domestic commotion; sedition, insurrection, or war; violent outbreak; clamor; tumult. I will stir up in England some black storm. Shak. Her sister Began to scold and raise up such a storm. Shak.

Fig.: Any violent tumult or commotion; as, a political tempest; a tempest of war, or of the passions.

Bustle; stir; commotion; ado. [Colloq.]

To roll and tumble; to be in violent commotion; to write; to fling. To toss and fling, and to be restless, only frets and enreges our pain. Tillotson.

ose; to make calm and peaceful; as, to tranquilize a state disturbed by factions or civil commotions; to tranquilize the mind.

The commotion or agitation of a multitude, usually accompanied with great noise, uproar, and confusion of voices; hurly-burly; noisy confusion. What meaneth the noise of this tumult 1 Sam. iv. 14. Till in loud tumult all the Greeks arose. Pope.

Irregular or disorderly movement; commotion; as, the tumultuation of the parts of a fluid. [Obs.] Boyle.

Disturbed; agitated; tumultuous; roused to violent commotion; as, the turbulent ocean. Calm region once, And full of peace, now tossed and turbulent. Milton.

To harass with commotion; to disquiet; to worry. [Obs.] It is her fatal misfortune . . . to be miserably tossed and turmoiled with these storms of affliction. Spenser.

Insurrection; commotion; disturbance. [Obs.] Sir J. Cheke.