A state of worry, anxiety, or dissatisfaction that often leads to civil disturbance or protest.
From Old English 'un-' (not) + 'rest' (peace, quiet). The prefix 'un-' negates the noun, creating the opposite of rest, meaning disturbance or agitation.
Unrest often precedes major historical change—from the unrest in 1960s America that sparked the Civil Rights Movement to modern social protests. It's language's way of capturing that electric moment before transformation.
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