Riot Act

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Riot Act

An English law, enacted in 1715 and repealed in 1973, providing that if 12 or more people unlawfully assemble and disturb the public peace, they must disperse after being read a specified portion of the law 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.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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

2. read the riot act to someone to warn or reprimand someone severely

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

Ri′ot Act`

an English statute of 1715 making it a felony for an assembly of 12 or more persons to refuse to disperse when ordered by an authority.

Idioms:

read someone the riot act, to reprove or warn someone sharply.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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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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He wades right in for a showdown, an' nails Billy outside, before everybody, an' reads the riot act. An' Billy listens in that slow, sleepy way of his, an' Butch gets hotter an' hotter, an' everybody expects a scrap.

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There is no stopping to read the riot act, no firing over the heads of the mob, in this case.

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'if the authority of the king's officers is set at naught, we must have the riot act read.

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You yourself, though you would give fifty pounds to Jansenius's emigration fund readily enough, would call for the police, the military, and the Riot Act, if the people came to Brandon Beeches and bade you turn out and work for your living with the rest.

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70 Oxford Street (Cinema) 4.30pm-5.30pm Riot Act A one-man show, written and performed by Alexis Gregory, Riot Act looks back on six decades of queer history.

PRIDE'S ARTISTIC SIDESHOW; QUEER CINEMA VOGUING, AND A ONE-MAN STAGE PERFORMANCE, ALL PLAY THEIR PART IN SUPERBIA WEEKEND EVENTS, WRITES MAYA BLACK

Sensing the tension, the CS read the riot act to those present saying he would not entertain politics in the meeting.

Kiunjuri's Nyeri meeting meant to launch water project turns chaotic

The Arsenal chief says that he read the riot act to his Gunners, insisting that the Europa League was given maximum focus.

UNAI GUNNING FOR SHIRKERS

Rangers v Hearts Today, Tynecastle, 12noon STEVEN GERRARD read the riot act to Joe Worrall over his "F*** Celtic" blast and vowed to hammer his players in future if they disrespect the club.

GERRO HITS OUT

Russell III to reconsider his December ruling that the state's cap on damages in a lawsuit against a local government does not apply to complaints under the Maryland Riot Act. He denied the motion Monday.

Judge won't reconsider damage cap ruling in 'Riot Act' case

GEORGE OAKLEY knows positive-thinking Brian Rice was doing his Accies players a favour by not reading the riot act after a 5-0 thumping by Rangers.

Rice doesn't always have to be nice to us

Queen Elizabeth II reportedly read the riot act to her sons Prince Charles and Prince Andrew following a crisis in Sandringham in 1995.