reads the Riot Act

Ri·ot Act (r

An English law, enacted in 1715, providing that if 12 or more people unlawfully assemble and disturb the public peace, they must disperse upon proclamation or be considered guilty of felony.

Idiom:

read the riot act

To warn or reprimand energetically or forcefully: The teacher read the riot act to the rowdy class.

Word History: The riot act has been read to far more people than the disturbers of the peace the Riot Act was intended to control. The official Riot Act was enacted by Parliament in 1715 to discourage unlawful assembly and civic turbulence, although the first recorded use of the term Riot Act to refer to this legislation does not appear until 1731. The act provided that if 12 or more people gathered unlawfully or for purposes of disturbing the peace, a portion of the Riot Act would be read to them, and if the assembled did not disperse by one hour after this reading, they would be guilty of felony. The Riot Act, which was not repealed until 1973, became a part of the public consciousness and developed an extended sense in the phrase to read the riot act, meaning "to warn forcefully." The first use of riot act in this way is found in a work published in 1819: "She has just run out to read the riot act in the Nursery."

Riot Act

1. (Law) 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) to warn or reprimand severely

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun	1.	riot act - a vigorous reprimand; "I read him the riot act" rebuke, reprehension, reprimand, reproof, reproval - an act or expression of criticism and censure; "he had to take the rebuke with a smile on his face"
	2.	Riot Act - a former English law requiring mobs to disperse after a magistrate reads the law to them law - legal document setting forth rules governing a particular kind of activity; "there is a law against kidnapping" criminal law - the body of law dealing with crimes and their punishment law, jurisprudence - the collection of rules imposed by authority; "civilization presupposes respect for the law"; "the great problem for jurisprudence to allow freedom while enforcing order"

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admonish berate castigate censure chide come criminal law domestic emergencies dress Law lecture pull rap rebuke reprehension reprimand reproach reproof reproval	reading desk reading frame Reading glass reading glasses reading group reading knowledge reading lamp Reading man reading material reading matter Reading of a bill reading program reading room reading teacher Readjourn Readjournment readjust Readjuster readjustment readmission readmit Readmittance Readopt Readorn readout reads the Riot Act Readvance Readvertency ready ready and waiting ready cash ready money ready position ready reckoner Ready Reserve Ready Reserve Force ready to hand ready-cooked ready-made ready-mix ready-mixed ready-to-eat ready-to-load date ready-to-serve ready-to-wear ready-witted readying reaffiliation reaffirm Reaffirmance reaffirmation	reads for reads for reads for reads for reads into reads into reads into reads into reads like a book reads like a book reads like a book reads like a book reads mind reads mind reads mind reads mind reads my lips reads my lips reads my lips reads my lips Reads No Database State Reads No Package State reads out reads out reads out reads out reads palm reads palm reads palm Reads Terminal Interrupt Word reads the Riot Act reads the runes reads the runes Reads the Tape reads thoughts reads thoughts reads thoughts reads thoughts reads up reads up reads up reads up reads up on reads up on reads up on reads up on READSL readthrough readthrough Readthrough Candidates Extraction System READU Readvance Readvertency ready ready ready ready ready ready Ready 2 Race Ready 2 Ride

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admonish
berate
castigate
censure
chide
come
criminal law
domestic emergencies
dress
Law
lecture
pull
rap
rebuke
reprehension
reprimand
reproach
reproof
reproval

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