Riot Act

noun

an English statute of 1715 providing that if 12 or more persons assemble unlawfully and riotously, to the disturbance of the public peace, and refuse to disperse upon proclamation they shall be considered guilty of felony.

Riot Act

criminal law (formerly in England) a statute of 1715 by which persons committing a riot had to disperse within an hour of the reading of the act by a magistrate
read the riot act to someone
read the riot act to someone to warn or reprimand someone severely

read someone the riot act,
1. to reprimand; censure:
  The principal read them the riot act for their behavior at the assembly.
2. to give (someone) a sharp warning.

A woman called in to read Stone Cold the riot act for not giving her family autographs at an event.

Imagine that Israeli ambassadors in EU capitals were summoned to the local foreign ministries and read the riot act.

Run line had on her the effect of the reading of the Riot Act.

He boldly approached the mob, and, halting the soldiers at no great distance from them, began to read the Riot Act.

It also means that the riot act has been read to Garwood by some people who are in a position to read it.

My dearest friend, why, in the name of every thing sacred, have the riot act read?

Harris raged and sputtered and the coaches stood over the unfortunate Trow and read him the riot act.

April 18, 2024petrichor

[pet-ri-kawr]

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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