Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

read-someone-the-riot-act

idiom

/riːd ˈsʌmwʌn ðə ˈraɪət ækt/

Definition

To reprimand or admonish someone severely and sternly, typically regarding their behavior or actions.

Examples

After repeated warnings, the teacher finally had to read the students the riot act for their disrespectful behavior.
The manager read the team the riot act following their poor performance last quarter.

Meaning

This phrase refers to the act of warning someone emphatically, often before taking serious action. It originates from a historical law in England that allowed authorities to disperse unruly crowds by reading a specific act of legislation.