Something spoken or written with the purpose of blowing off steam or justifying ones ideals. This often times takes place after the person creating the rant feels as though they have been wronged somehow by another party or individual. These rants, if worded correctly can often times inspire others to start riots, throw small blunt objects or generate insane amounts of hate or support mail for the person ranting.

Ranting is the act of (often) pointless usage of the mouth, usually in a loud, negative and prolonged manner.

It is mostly heard in the form of a monologue and best practiced by annoyed politicians; the finest examples of this action can be found in the British House of Commons, (for my American friends who really want to see and hear this, tune into C-Span for Prime Minister's Question Time).

Other great examples of ranting can be heard from:

• Politically sensitive teenagers (and adults, but less amusingly).
• Hardcore environmental and animal rights activists.
• Frustrated parents, often at the aforementioned idiot teenagers.
• Me, when I get downvoted for a write up I think is good, but the rest of the world disagrees (though I do this under my breath and in strictly in private).
• Again me, when I see: a new crap boy/girl "pop" band on the TV, politics being practiced by fools (most of the time), or when my Mother has just telephoned from England to ask me how to work her computer.

It can be great fun and a fantastic release to have a good ranting session, but beware your audience, it's a rare occasion when one finds a receptive set of ears for this bombastic, more often than not arrogant, form of communication

Ranting is also a traditional English (that is, folk) dance step. Usually executed to polkas or reels, the step orginates from Southern England and the Welsh borders (hence it is a feature in Border Morris Dancing). Perhaps, most famously in the "folk and traditional" scene, it is used in a dance called "Dorset Four Hand Reel".

To explain to a person how to rant via the written word is difficult as it is best demonstrated visually. However, I shall do my best to explain.

Begin with your right foot crossed in front of the left and stamp. Move the right foot about 30 centimetres to your right and stamp again. Then put both feet together and stamp again. This is then repeated with the left foot crossed in front of the right, moved slightly to the left and together. All of this should be executed with energy with a slight hop on the "resting" foot at each stamp.

It is entirely possible to traverse in a dance using this step, although it can be very tiring.

The overall effect is, perhaps, one of an energetic Irish dancer only slightly more noisy!

Rant (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Ranted; p. pr. & vb. n. Ranting.] [OD. ranten, randen, to dote, to be enraged.]

To rave in violent, high-sounding, or extravagant language, without dignity of thought; to be noisy, boisterous, and bombastic in talk or declamation; as, a ranting preacher.

Look where my ranting host of the Garter comes! Shak.

 

© Webster 1913.

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Rant, n.

High-sounding language, without importance or dignity of thought; boisterous, empty declamation; bombast; as, the rant of fanatics.

This is a stoical rant, without any foundation in the nature of man or reason of things. Atterbury.

 

© Webster 1913.