# rebel

Pronunciation: say "REB-uhl" /ˈɹɛbəl/

## Noun

1. A person who resists an established authority, often using force or violence.
   - Simple: Someone who fights against the people or government in charge.
   - _The rebel was captured and brought before the military tribunal._
   - _Government forces clashed with rebels in the northern provinces._
4. A citizen of the Confederate States of America, especially a Confederate soldier. *(US)*
   - Simple: A person from the Southern states during the American Civil War, especially a soldier.
   - _Union pickets exchanged tobacco with the rebels camped across the river._
   - _The wounded rebel was treated alongside Federal soldiers in the field hospital._

## Verb

Pronunciation: say "ri-BEL" /ɹɪˈbɛl/

2. To resist or act defiantly against an authority.
   - Simple: To refuse to obey someone in charge and stand against them.
   - _Many citizens rebel whenever the government raises taxes too high._
   - _She rebelled against the traditions her family had followed for generations._
3. To use force to overthrow the law of the land, aiming to replace it with another form of government.
   - Simple: To rise up by force against a government and try to replace it.
   - _The colonies rebelled against the empire and declared independence._
   - _Provinces often rebel when a regime denies them political representation._

## Origin

**Meanings 1, 4** — From Middle English rebel, from Old French rebelle, from Latin rebellis ("waging war again; insurgent"). This comes from rebellō ("I wage war again, fight back"), formed from re- ("again, back") and bellō ("I wage war").
**Meanings 2–3** — From Middle English rebellen, from Old French rebeller, from Latin rebellō ("I wage war again, fight back"), formed from re- ("again, back") and bellō ("I wage war"). It is a doublet of revel.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/rebel (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).