read the riot act — read (someone) the riot act to strongly warn someone to stop behaving badly. Alice read Randi the riot act, telling her, “If you don t like it here, you can just go back where you came from.” The secretary of state said she plans to read the riot … New idioms dictionary
read the Riot Act — ► read the Riot Act give a severe warning or reprimand. [ORIGIN: from the name of a former act partly read out to disperse rioters.] Main Entry: ↑riot … English terms dictionary
read the riot act — phrasal 1. : to order (as a mob) to disperse 2. a. : to issue a peremptory order or warning to cease doing something b. : to protest vehemently : express great objection c. : to reprimand severely * * * read the … Useful english dictionary
read the riot act — {v. phr.} To give someone a strong warning or scolding. * /Three boys were late to class and the teacher read the riot act to them./ … Dictionary of American idioms
read the riot act — {v. phr.} To give someone a strong warning or scolding. * /Three boys were late to class and the teacher read the riot act to them./ … Dictionary of American idioms
read\ the\ riot\ act — v. phr. To give someone a strong warning or scolding. Three boys were late to class and the teacher read the riot act to them … Словарь американских идиом
read the riot act — give someone a strong warning or scolding The teacher read the riot act to her students when they began to misbehave in class … Idioms and examples
read the riot act — read (someone) the riot act to speak angrily to someone about something they have done and warn them that they will be punished if they do it again. He d put up with a lot of bad behaviour from his son and thought it was time to read him the riot … New idioms dictionary
read the riot act — Meaning Warn roudy characters to stop behaving badly. Origin In English law the control of unruly citizens was the responsibility of local magistrates. If more than twelve people didn t disperse after the Riot Act was read to them the magistrate… … Meaning and origin of phrases
read the riot act — vp To scold, chastise severely. When mom saw the condition of my room, she read me the riot act. 1900s … Historical dictionary of American slang