IdiomDaily Life
English
EnglishTo read the riot act
Meaning: To reprimand someone sternly.
Example: “When she saw the mess in the kitchen, Mom read us the riot act.”
Origin: Britain's 1714 Riot Act was read aloud to order unruly crowds to disperse within the hour or face arrest.
Equivalents in other languages
Icelandic: Að taka einhvern á beinið Literally: To take someone onto the bone
French: Passer un savon Literally: To pass a soap
German: jemanden zur Schnecke machen Literally: To make someone into a snail
More English idioms
- To give a wide berth To keep well away from someone or something.
- To have egg on your face To look foolish or embarrassed.
- To bury your head in the sand To refuse to face an obvious danger.
- To bite off more than you can chew To take on more than you can handle.
- Caught between a rock and a hard place Stuck between two equally bad options.
- To show your true colors To reveal your real character at last.
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