In physics, rotation; the circular motion of a body on its axis; a course or motion which brings every point of the surface or periphery of a body back to the place at which it began to move; as the revolution of a wheel; the diurnal revolution of the earth.

The motion of a body round any fixed point or center; as the annual revolution of the earth or other planet in its orbit round the center of the system.

Motion of any thing which brings it to the same point or state; as the revolution of day and night or of the seasons.

Continued course marked by the regular return of years; as the revolution of ages.

Space measured by some regular return of a revolving body or of a state of things; as the revolution of a day.

In politics, a material or entire change in the constitution of government. Thus the revolution in England, in 1688, was produced by the abdication of king James II the establishment of the house of Orange upon the throne, and the restoration of the constitution to its primitive state. So the revolutions in Poland, in the United States of America, and in France, consisted in a change of constitution. We shall rejoice to hear that the Greeks have effected a revolution.

Motion backward.& This word is used adjectively, as in the phrase, revolution principles.