read the riot act in English
verb
give someone a strict scolding, reprimand strongly
Use "read the riot act" in a sentence
Below are sample sentences containing the word "read the riot act" from the English Dictionary. We can refer to these sentence patterns for sentences in case of finding sample sentences with the word "read the riot act", or refer to the context using the word "read the riot act" in the English Dictionary.
1. 28 In this way did Mutt read the riot act to Albert and his disobedient friends.
2. However, instead of showing a conciliatory approach, the authorities immediately read the Riot Act, and made two arrests.