- Idiom – Caught red-handed
- Meaning – To be caught in the act. To be found doing something wrong or illegal. If you are caught red-handed you are caught with the evidence of your wrongdoings for all to see.
- According to The Phrase Finder this expression relates to murderers or poachers (a poacher is someone who hunts illegally) being caught with blood on their hands. Blood is – of course – red.
Usage:
When could you use this idiom?
- Discussing a thief being caught with the stolen goods.
- Catching somebody in the act of committing a crime.
- Discussing a cheating partner being caught in the act of being unfaithful.
- Catching a student obviously cheating in an exam.
Example:
- “The police found him leaving the bank with big bag of stolen money. He was caught red-handed!”
In The News:
Police appeal to trace burglar caught red-handed by Bath resident
Discuss:
- Is there an idiom like this in your country?
What is an idiom?
An idiom is a word or phrase that is not taken literally. An idiom is an expression that cannot be understood from the meanings of its individual words, but has a separate meaning of its own.