shout fire in a crowded theater

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shout fire in a crowded theater (third-person singular simple present shouts fire in a crowded theater, present participle shouting fire in a crowded theater, simple past and past participle shouted fire in a crowded theater)

1. (idiomatic) To say something which is not protected by the First Amendment's right to freedom of speech because it would incite violence, panic or lawlessness.