Read the Riot Act

Read the Riot Act

　　And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.

　　In life, there are times when we must tell others about their bad behavior or unsafe actions. Sometimes that means giving them a strongly worded warning or scolding them. We can also read them the riot act.

　　A riot is a violent public disorder¹. And that is where the expression comes from.

　　The Merriam-Webster online dictionary says it dates back to the early 1700s England, when opponents of King George I began a series of protests.

　　The British government wanted to stop the protests. So, they passed a law called the "Riot Act." It permitted officials to break up gatherings² of 12 or more people by reading a speech out-loud. If the protestors did not leave, they would be guilty of a crime punishable by death. By 1819, "riot act" was also being used more generally for any severe warning or reprimand.

　　The law is no longer enforced across the pond, as we sometimes refer to Britain. But the term to read the riot act is still alive and well today.

　　We read someone the riot act to severely³ scold them. Reading the riot act can include some shouting – and, in fact, often does.

　　We can use this expression in just about any situation where someone has made a big mistake – at work, with our friends, and with our family.

　　Now, let's hear it used between two friendly coworkers who are talking about a family situation.

　　A: Wow, who was that on the phone? I could hear her yelling at you all the way over here.

　　B: It was my aunt reading me the riot act.

　　A: Why? What did you do?

　　B: Well, I forgot to go to her house for dinner last night. And she made all my favorite dishes.

　　A: Oh. That is a big mistake. I'm not surprised she read you the riot act.

　　B: And it was her birthday.

　　A: Oh wow. I'm surprised she is still speaking to you.

　　B: I know! I feel awful! So, to make it up to her, I'm taking her out to dinner at a restaurant that serves HER favorite dishes.

　　If VOA Learning English stopped teaching English, our listeners would have every right to read us the riot act.

　　And that's all the time we have for this Words and Their Stories.

　　Words in This Story

　　scold – v. to find fault noisily or angrily : to criticize severely or angrily

　　reprimand – n. severe or formal criticism

　　across the pond – idiomatic expression the other side of the Atlantic Ocean

1 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

2 gatherings   

聚集( gathering的名词复数 )； 收集； 采集； 搜集

参考例句：

• His conduct at social gatherings created a lot of comment. 他在社交聚会上的表现引起许多闲话。
• During one of these gatherings a pupil caught stealing. 有一次，其中一名弟子偷窃被抓住。

3 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。