Read the riot act.
Warn sternly.
Read the riot act" refers to a stern warning given with the intention of stopping undesirable behavior. Historically, it was a literal document read out to disperse a crowd under penalty of law. Today, it signifies a final warning to improve behavior or face consequences.
Example Sentences
The teacher read the riot act to the noisy class.
The teacher scolded the class for their noise.
Mom read the riot act when she saw the mess.
Mom furiously reprimanded us for the messy house.
After their poor performance, the coach read the riot act to the team.
The coach angrily lectured the team for their poor performance.
