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a) to be proved worthy of something
Sorry, wrong answer. Please try again.
b) to fall foul of one’s own traps
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c) to be caught in the act of doing something wrong
Well done ! That’s the right answer.
‘red-handed’ means doing something reprehensible or showing clear evidence of having done something reprehensible ; "he was caught red-handed".
French translation
se faire prendre la main dans le sac
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Examples in context
’Two employees caught red-handed in copper theft
Two employees of a Marabella sales outlet are expected to appear before a San Fernando Magistrate today charged with stealing a quantity of copper on Friday. The suspects were caught red-handed by police officers, attempting to make off with the copper.’
GuardianMedia, 23 July 2012
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’Black Hole Caught Red-Handed in a Stellar Homicide
PASADENA, Calif. – Astronomers have gathered the most direct evidence yet of a supermassive black hole shredding a star that wandered too close. NASA’s Galaxy Evolution Explorer, a space-based observatory, and the Pan-STARRS1 telescope on the summit of Haleakala in Hawaii were among the first to help identify the stellar remains. Supermassive black holes, weighing millions to billions times more than the sun, lurk in the centers of most galaxies. These hefty monsters lie quietly until an unsuspecting victim, such as a star, wanders close enough to get ripped apart by their powerful gravitational clutches.’
nasa.gov, 5 Feb. 2012
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Everyday usage
Now it is the Conservatives who have been caught red-handed, caught with their hands in the cookie jar.
The company was caught red-handed violating forest law.
He was caught red-handed selling drugs.
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