- Meaning
- This idiom means to be discovered while committing a wrongdoing or secret activity, often implying guilt or embarrassment. It suggests being caught red-handed in the middle of an action, used in contexts of crime, mischief, or personal indiscretions.
- Origin
- The phrase likely dates to the 17th century, rooted in legal and theatrical language where ‘act’ referred to a deed or performance. An early use appears in a 1605 legal text: ‘Taken in the very act.’ By the 19th century, it was common in English, with Charles Dickens using it in *Oliver Twist* (1838) to describe a thief’s capture. Its dramatic imagery, tied to crime and exposure, ensured its popularity in journalism and literature.
- Variants
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- Caught in the act
- Caught red-handed
- Examples
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- He was caught in the act of sneaking cookies from the jar.
- The thief was caught in the act, breaking into the store at midnight.
- She was caught in the act of cheating during the exam, earning a zero.
- Caught in the act, he couldn’t deny spreading the office gossip.
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