read the riot act

She said she was told he had been "read the riot act" but had no formal punishment.

Vinicius Jr looked far more committed to the cause in Real's match against Atletico at the weekend, having been read the riot act by Luka Modric and Federico Valverde for failing to give his best during the club's quarter-final Copa del Rey match at Leganes.

She sang with Muppets, talked with the aliens and read the riot act to Philip Seymour Hoffman.

He added that the "idiocy" of Mr Hancock's response, as well as then-attorney general Suella Braverman, risked undermining Covid laws, adding: "I'm ready to read the riot act as required."

Health Minister Eluned Morgan has said she read the "riot act" to executives but didn't have the power to sack them.