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-handedness
  noun
• red-handedly
  adverb

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

See Examples For:

red-handed

Mark Joseph Stern: Well, the Justice Department already got caught red-handed lying in this case once before.

From Slate ● Nov. 15, 2025

Bosses at the pub in Urmston, Greater Manchester, said they received an anonymous tip-off and caught the team "cheating red-handed" when players were spotted whispering into their smartwatches to get answers.

From BBC ● Nov. 14, 2025

PUTIN’S QUOTE: “He was caught red-handed when he was secretly getting classified information.”

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 9, 2024

“Even when he is literally caught red-handed, he won’t want to admit it.”

From New York Times ● Feb. 2, 2024

“If they’re not, we lay in wait, catch whoever’s bringing them red-handed, and bring them down to the courthouse, after freeing the orphans. We stay in touch via messenger dactyl. Any questions?”

From "Dactyl Hill Squad" by Daniel José Older