Read the Riot Act

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Meaning

Deliver a severe reprimand and warn that further misconduct will bring punishment. Usually figurative and often capitalized because of the historical statute. It combines rebuke with a warning of consequences. Regional use: British legal origin; now general English.

Origin

Britain's Riot Act of 1714 applied when twelve or more people were unlawfully, riotously and tumultuously assembled. An authorized official could read the statutory proclamation, and twelve or more who remained together for one hour committed a felony. The literal warning produced the figurative severe reprimand. The Act was repealed for England and Wales in 1967, and separately for Northern Ireland that year; its remaining Scottish extent was repealed in 1973.

Research Sources

  1. 1714 Riot Act UK Parliament
  2. Read someone the riot act Cambridge University Press
  3. Full text of the Riot Act Project Gutenberg transcription of the Statutes at Large
  4. Statute Law Revision: Fourth Report Law Commission and Scottish Law Commission

Variants

  • Read someone the Riot Act

Usage Examples

  • The stationmaster read the Riot Act after a second night of broken lamps.
  • If the invoices vanish again, the treasurer will read someone the Riot Act.
  • Her quiet version of reading the Riot Act was more alarming than a shout.

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