read (sb) the riot act
Definition
› to speak angrily to someone about something they have done and warn them that they will be punished if they do it again: He'd put up with a lot of bad behaviour from his son and thought it was time to read him the riot act.Chastising and rebuking
(Definition of read (sb) the riot act from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus
© Cambridge University Press)
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Synonyms and related words:
- admonition noun
- bawl sb out phrasal verb
- be a reproach to sb/sth idiom
- be in sb's face idiom
- bollocking noun
- carpet verb (CRITICIZE)
- crucify verb
- flay sb alive idiom
- give sb a rocket idiom
- give sb what for idiom
- jump on sb phrasal verb
- lecture verb
- put sb in their place idiom
- rebuke verb
- reprimand verb
- reprove verb
- send sb away with a flea in their ear idiom
- tear a strip off sb idiom
- throw the book at sb idiom
- tick sb off phrasal verb (SPEAK SEVERELY)
Topic:
Chastising & rebuking
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