Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • The Russian Revolution refers to the series of pivotal events in 1917 that led to the overthrow of the Russian Empire's Tsarist autocracy. It is commonly understood to encompass two main phases: the February Revolution, which deposed Tsar Nicholas II and established a provisional government, and the October Revolution (Bolshevik Revolution), in which the Bolshevik party seized power, leading to the establishment of a communist state.

Examples of Usage

• Proper noun:
  • The Russian Revolution fundamentally altered the course of world history in the 20th century.
  • Many historians study the complex causes of the Russian Revolution.
  • The events of the Russian Revolution are often divided into the February and October phases.

Advanced Usage

• "the February Revolution": Often used specifically to refer to the initial phase of the Russian Revolution in March 1917 (February by the Julian calendar then in use in Russia) that forced the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II.

  • The February Revolution resulted in the formation of a short-lived provisional government.

• "the October Revolution" or "the Bolshevik Revolution": Refers specifically to the armed insurrection in November 1917 (October by the Julian calendar) led by the Bolsheviks under Vladimir Lenin, which overthrew the provisional government.

  • Lenin's role was decisive in the success of the October Revolution.

Variants and Related Words

• Bolshevik (noun): A member of the radical, majority faction of the Russian Social Democratic Party, which became the Communist Party after the revolution.
• Tsar/Tsarism (noun): The title of the former emperors of Russia; the system of autocratic rule by a tsar.
• Provisional Government (noun): The temporary government established after the February Revolution, prior to the Bolshevik takeover.
• Soviet (noun): A workers' council; a key organizational structure of the revolution and the later USSR.

Synonyms

• Bolshevik Revolution: Specifically synonymous with the October Revolution phase.
• October Uprising: Another term for the October Revolution.
• Revolution of 1917: A more general temporal descriptor.

Related Phrases

• "precipitated the Russian Revolution": Caused the revolution to happen.
  • Food shortages and military failures precipitated the Russian Revolution.
• "in the wake of the Russian Revolution": In the period following the revolution.
  • A brutal civil war erupted in the wake of the Russian Revolution.

Related Idioms

• "Ten Days That Shook the World": A famous phrase, originating from the title of John Reed's book, used to describe the significance and impact of the October Revolution.
  • The journalist's account of the Russian Revolution was aptly titled Ten Days That Shook the World.

Noun

1. the revolution against the czarist government which led to the abdication of Nicholas II and the creation of a provisional government in March 1917
2. the coup d'etat by the Bolsheviks under Lenin in November 1917 that led to a period of civil war which ended in victory for the Bolsheviks in 1922