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upheaval (n.)

1834 in reference to convulsions in society; 1836 in geology, from verb upheave (c. 1300, from up (adv.) + heave (v.)) + -al (2). Similarly formed verbs are Old Frisian upheva, Old High German ufhevan, German aufheben.

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Definitions of upheaval from WordNet

upheaval (n.)
a state of violent disturbance and disorder (as in politics or social conditions generally);
upheaval (n.)
a violent disturbance;
Synonyms: convulsion / turmoil
upheaval (n.)
(geology) a rise of land to a higher elevation (as in the process of mountain building);
Synonyms: uplift / upthrow / upthrust
upheaval (n.)
disturbance usually in protest;
From wordnet.princeton.edu