1.revolution的基本意思是“革命”,指为了推翻旧的政权或体系而进行的规模较大的行为,尤指借助武力; 也可指有重大意义的或彻底的变化。revolution还可指“旋转,运行”。
2.在以revolution作为中心词构成专有名词时,其前应有定冠词the。

He has lived through two revolutions.他经历了两次革命。
The country seemed to be on the verge of revolution.那个国家似已濒临革命。
The constant oppression of the workers led inevitably to strife and revolution.对工人的不断压迫必然会导致冲突和革命。
The Carbonari had led two revolutions and had failed.烧炭党领导了两次革命,最后失败了。
That country must have an industrial revolution.那个国家必须进行工业革命。
The American Revolution took place between 1775 and 1783.美国独立战争爆发于1775年到1783年。
The invention of air travel caused a revolution in our way of life.航空旅行这一发明使我们的生活方式发生了根本性的变革。
The clothes designer finds herself at the centre of a fashion revolution.这位女服装设计师发现自己处于服装款式变革的中心。
Revolution of a right triangle about one of its legs generates a cone.直角三角形绕一直角边旋转即成锥形。
The annual revolution of the earth round the sun causes the revolution of the seasons.地球每年绕太阳公转一次形成四季循环。

revolution, rebellion, revolt, riot
这四个词的共同意思是“革命”。其区别是:revolution指规模较大的推翻旧政权的行为,也可指其他的有进步意义的历史变革; revolt一般指规模较小,且时间较短的“起义”,还可指广泛的“反抗”,不一定采取暴力方式,对象也不一定是政权。例如:
Armed revolt occurred frequently in oppressed countries.在被压迫国家内常发生武装起义的事件。
rebellion一般是从旧统治阶级角度来看,因此可译为“造反,叛乱”,通常未能成功,可指某一次具体事件,但不宜指正义的革命。例如:
In mediaeval Europe, big nobles often rose in rebellion against the king.在中世纪的欧洲,大贵族常掀起叛乱反对国王。
riot作“骚动”解,指一群人喧嚷捣乱。例如:
The book has as its central theme a riot in a small southern town of the United States.这本书的主题是美国南部一个小城发生的暴乱。

［同义词］   mutiny, overthrow, rebellion, revolt, uprising; cycle, orbit, rotation, spin, turn