Viciously telling somebody off with nothing left out
"I have been seeing Ernie for ten years. Since he still refuses to commit, I read him the riot act."

"We crashed the junior prom. The class advisor read us both the riot act and then called our parents."
by The Anna-lator November 2, 2003
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Riot Act is a return to form for Vedder and company.
by Patch September 16, 2003
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to rebuke firmly, especially with a stern warning (the riot act was an act of the Parliament of Brittan which was often read before it was enforced and was made particularly infamous by the "Peterloo massacre")
He read the riot act to him in front of everyone when he tried to steal his book.
by The Retrurn of Light Joker January 20, 2009
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This occurs after you make the first date after meeting online through social media. Everything has been going great until you meet in person and then your date “reads the riot actfirmly setting out their terms for how the dating and further relationship should progress.
Phil met Meghan on their first date only to be read the riot act, stating that she did not kiss on the first date, what days of week she was available, how he was to dress when they dated, the types of events she expected him to attend, etc.
by Leap Cruncher December 28, 2022
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