Part 320

Milton.

3. The space measured by the regular return of a revolving body; the period made by the regular recurrence of a measure of time, or by a succession of similar events. "The short revolution of a day." Dryden.

4. (Astron.) The motion of any body, as a planet or satellite, in a curved line or orbit, until it returns to the same point again, or to a point relatively the same; -- designated as the annual, anomalistic, nodical, sidereal, or tropical revolution, according as the point of return or completion has a fixed relation to the year, the anomaly, the nodes, the stars, or the tropics; as, the revolution of the earth about the sun; the revolution of the moon about the earth.

The term is sometimes applied in astronomy to the motion of a single body, as a planet, about its own axis, but this motion is usually called rotation.

5. (Geom.) The motion of a point, line, or surface about a point or line as its center or axis, in such a manner that a moving point generates a curve, a moving line a surface (called a surface of revolution), and a moving surface a solid (called a solid of revolution); as, the revolution of a right-angled triangle about one of its sides generates a cone; the revolution of a semicircle about the diameter generates a sphere.

6. A total or radical change; as, a revolution in one's circumstances or way of living.

The ability . . . of the great philosopher speedily produced a complete revolution throughout the department.

Macaulay.

7. (Politics) A fundamental change in political organization, or in a government or constitution; the overthrow or renunciation of one government, and the substitution of another, by the governed.

The violence of revolutions is generally proportioned to the degree of the maladministration which has produced them.

Macaulay.

When used without qualifying terms, the word is often applied specifically, by way of eminence, to: (a) The English Revolution in 1689, when William of Orange and Mary became the reigning sovereigns, in place of James II. (b) The American Revolution, beginning in 1775, by which the English colonies, since known as the United States, secured their independence. (c) The revolution in France in 1789, commonly called the French Revolution, the subsequent revolutions in that country being designated by their dates, as the Revolution of 1830, of 1848, etc.

Rev`o*lu"tion*a*ry (?), a. [Cf. F. révolutionnaire.] Of or pertaining to a revolution in government; tending to, or promoting, revolution; as, revolutionary war; revolutionary measures; revolutionary agitators.

Rev`o*lu"tion*a*ry, n. A revolutionist. [R.]

Dumfries was a Tory town, and could not tolerate a revolutionary.

Prof. Wilson.

Rev`o*lu"tion*er (?), n. One who is engaged in effecting a revolution; a revolutionist. Smollett.

Rev`o*lu"tion*ism (?), n. The state of being in revolution; revolutionary doctrines or principles.

Rev`o*lu"tion*ist, n. One engaged in effecting a change of government; a favorer of revolution. Burke.

Rev`o*lu"tion*ize (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Revolutioniezed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Revolutionizing(?).] To change completely, as by a revolution; as, to revolutionize a government. Ames.

The gospel . . . has revolutionized his soul.

J. M. Mason.

Re*vol"u*tive (?), a. Inclined to revolve things in the mind; meditative. [Obs.] Feltham.

Re*volv"a*ble (?), a. That may be revolved.

Re*volve" (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Revolved(?); p. pr. & vb. n. Revolving.] [L. revolvere, revolutum; pref. re- re- + volvere to roll, turn round. See Voluble, and cf. Revolt, revolution.] 1. To turn or roll round on, or as on, an axis, like a wheel; to rotate, -- which is the more specific word in this sense.

If the earth revolve thus, each house near the equator must move a thousand miles an hour.

I. Watts.

2. To move in a curved path round a center; as, the planets revolve round the sun.