1. A state of great confusion, disorder, and pandemonium: The classroom was full of turmoil; as, the extremely loud children were standing on tables, chairs were turned over, the blackboard was covered with drawings, etc. because the teacher came a half hour late to the class!
2. A disruptive event that causes wild and uncontrollable disturbances: The extreme commotion, created by the sudden cloudburst in front of the opera building after the performance, resulted in a big turmoil because so many people wanted to go home by taxi at the same time!
3. Etymology: perhaps an alteration of Middle French tremouille, "mill hopper", a reference to the hopper's constant motion of going back and forth, from Latin trimodia, "vessel containing three modii", from modius, "a Roman dry measure", related to modus, "measure". © ALL rights are reserved.

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