Riot Act Definition & Meaning

American

British

Examples

Riot Act American

noun

1. an English statute of 1715 providing that if 12 or more persons assemble unlawfully and riotously, to the disturbance of the public peace, and refuse to disperse upon proclamation they shall be considered guilty of felony.

idioms

1. read someone the riot act,

   1. to reprimand; censure.

      The principal read them the riot act for their behavior at the assembly.

   2. to give (someone) a sharp warning.

Riot Act British

noun

1. 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. to warn or reprimand someone severely

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“From the Insurrection Act to the Explosives Act to the Riot Act, they can be used to stop this anarchy,” the Republican Arkansas lawmaker told “Fox & Friends.”

From Fox News

Suddenly the Sheriff of Lanarkshire Mr A Mackenzie appeared at a corner of George Square and started to read the Riot Act, declaring the gathering unlawful and ordering the crowds to disperse.

From BBC

Hanningtone Gaya, chairman of the Media Owners Association of Kenya, attended the meeting on Friday, describing it as a “dressing down” at which media owners were “read the Riot Act,” according to Mr. Kaikai’s statement.

From New York Times

“They know they did the wrong thing. I read the Riot Act to them, their colleagues will all read the Riot Act to them,” Turnbull told Melbourne Radio 3AW.

From Seattle Times

The venue is the first comedy club-like space to open in the city since the Riot Act Comedy Theater closed in 2012, less than a year after it opened.

From Washington Post

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.