reading someone the riot act

A form of read someone the riot act — To scold or berate somebody; to reprimand.

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Meanings

verb
  1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of read someone the riot act
Cite this entry
APA

reading someone the riot act. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/reading%20someone%20the%20riot%20act

MLA

“reading someone the riot act.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/reading%20someone%20the%20riot%20act. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “reading someone the riot act,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/reading%20someone%20the%20riot%20act.

Source: reading someone the riot act on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.