catch him red-handed

NOUN

[/kætʃ hɪm red ˈhændɪd/]

to catch someone in the act of doing something wrong or illegal

💡 Concept

to catch someone in the act of doing something wrong or illegal

🎵 Rhyme

Caught him red-handed, now he's stranded and branded!

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🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/kætʃ hɪm red ˈhændɪd/

🇬🇧 UK/kætʃ hɪm red ˈhændɪd/

🌳Etymology

Origin

This expression originated in the 15th century from the literal image of someone discovered with blood on their hands after committing murder or during butchering. The phrase originally referred to being caught in the act of a violent crime, but has evolved to describe being apprehended while committing any form of wrongdoing or illegal activity.

Breakdown

red-handed = red (blood-stained) + handed (having on one's hands), literally meaning 'with bloody hands' or 'with evidence of guilt visible on one's hands'.

🎵Rhyme

strandedhandedlandedbranded

stranded

handed

landed

branded

🔗Collocations

catch someone red-handed

be caught red-handed

red-handed criminal

catch red-handed in the act

caught red-handed stealing

📝Examples

😄 Fun example

“My mom caught me red-handed eating cookies before dinner.”

“The politician was caught red-handed taking bribes from the company.”

😄 Fun example

“The cat was caught red-handed knocking over the flower vase.”

“He tried to deny it, but we caught him red-handed copying answers during the exam.”

📚Related Words

Synonyms

catch in the actcatch in flagrante delictobustnabapprehend

Antonyms

let escapemissoverlook

catchcriminalevidencewitnesscrime scene

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catch him red-handed — to catch someone in the act of doing something wrong or illegal

Example Sentences