Gordon Riots
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Riots in 1780, headed by Lord George Gordon, to compel the House or Commons to repeal the bill passed in 1778 for the relief of Roman Catholics.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Gordon Riots” mean?
Riots in 1780, headed by Lord George Gordon, to compel the House or Commons to repeal the bill passed in 1778 for the relief of Roman Catholics.
Is “Gordon Riots” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.