red-handed

American  

[red-han-did] / ˈrɛdˈhæn dɪd /

adjective

1. 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.

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red-handed British  

adjective

1. (postpositive) in the act of committing a crime or doing something wrong or shameful (esp in the phrase catch red-handed )

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Other Word Forms

• red-handedly
  adverb
• red-handedness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of red-handed

First recorded in 1810–20

Explanation

Someone is red-handed if it's obvious they're guilty of some wrongdoing, or are even in the midst of doing it. If you catch your brother with his hand literally in the cookie jar, you can say you caught him red-handed. A fancier way to say red-handed is the Latin phrase in flagrante delicto, or "in blazing offense." Aside from this legal term, you can also say "caught in the act." Red-handed comes from legal terminology too — specifically, a Scottish legal term that was inspired by the grisly image of a murderer who's been caught with bloody hands.

Example Sentences

"Miranda and his accomplices played a hands-on role in the importation and were caught red handed by officers who had been diligently watching them and building strong evidence against them."

From BBC • Dec. 14, 2023

For markets, this is like stealing the last cookie in the cookie jar, getting caught red handed, and, instead of a good spanking, you get another cookie, with chocolate on.

From Reuters • Feb. 2, 2023

"It reads a lot like a stern but polite reprimand of a child caught red handed who needs to be read the riot act," he wrote.

From Salon • Sep. 22, 2022

Mr. Boling asked Mr. Brown at one point if the military had caught on to him stealing personal information, asking if he had been “popped red handed snappin shots at the gig,” the indictment said.

From New York Times • Aug. 21, 2019

"Besides, if I'm going to give it to them at all, I've to get them red handed in their dirty scheme, or all the blame will be on me," he added discretely.

From Botchan (Master Darling) by Morri, Yasotaro