Riot Act
- an Act passed by the British government in 1715 and repealed in 1967, designed to prevent civil disorder. The Act made it a felony for an assembly of more than twelve people to refuse to disperse after being ordered to do so and having been read a specified portion of the Act by lawful authority.取缔闹事法（英国政府1715年通过, 1967年废除的一项法令, 旨在防止国内动乱; 该法规定12人以上的集会若接到解散命令, 并由法律机关宣读此令的某一部分后仍拒不从命者犯重罪）。
短语
read the Riot Act
- give someone a strong warning that they must improve their behaviour提出严重警告。