Dictionary.com
definitions

red-handed

[ red-han-did ]
/ ˈrɛdˈhæn dɪd /
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR red-handed ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, adverb

in the very act of a crime, wrongdoing, etc., or in possession of self-incriminating evidence: They caught him red-handed dipping into the till.

RELATED CONTENT

Get Caught Red Handed And Lose Your HandsRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE
red pillRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE

RELATED WORDS

guilty, openly, blatantly, caught

Nearby words

  1. red-eye gravy,
  2. red-eyed vireo,
  3. red-faced,
  4. red-figure,
  5. red-flag,
  6. red-headed,
  7. red-headed woodpecker,
  8. red-hot,
  9. red-hot poker,
  10. red-lead ore

Origin of red-handed

First recorded in 1810–20
Related formsred-hand·ed·ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for red-handed

British Dictionary definitions for red-handed

red-handed

adjective

(postpositive) in the act of committing a crime or doing something wrong or shameful (esp in the phrase catch red-handed)
Derived Formsred-handedly, adverbred-handedness, noun

Word Origin for red-handed

C19 (earlier, C15 red hand)
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for red-handed

red-handed

adj.

1781, earlier red-hand (early 15c.), originally in Scottish legal writing, from red (adj.1) + hand (n.), presumably from the image of a murderer caught in the act, with blood-stained hands.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper