Russian Revolution n 1: the coup d'etat by the Bolsheviks under Lenin in November 1917 that led to a period of civil war which ended in victory for the Bolsheviks in 1922 [syn: {October Revolution}] 2: the revolution against the Czarist government which led to the abdication of Nicholas II and the creation of a provisional government in March 1917 [syn: {February Revolution}]