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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

read the riot act en · VERB

Meanings

  1. (alt-of, alternative) Alternative form of read someone the riot act
    • To do things “railroad fashion” is now the by-word; and it is worth the while to be warned so often and so sincerely by any power to get off its track. There is no stopping to read the riot act, no firing over the heads of the mob, in this case. 1854 August 9, Henry D[avid] Thoreau, Walden; or, Life in the Woods, Boston, Mass.: Ticknor and Fields, →OCLC:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
reads the riot act Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
read the riot act Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
read the riot act Tense=Past lexicographic
reading the riot act Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic