The idiom "caught red-handed" means to be caught in the act of doing something wrong or illegal. It is used when someone is caught doing something they shouldn't be doing, especially if they were doing it secretly or trying to hide it.
The origin of this idiom comes from the idea that if someone was caught stealing, their hands would be stained with the blood of the animal they were stealing from. This would make it clear that they were guilty of the crime.
For example, if someone was caught stealing money from a cash register, they would be "caught red-handed." Or if someone was caught cheating on a test, they would also be "caught red-handed." It is often used in a serious or negative context, as it implies that the person has been caught doing something wrong.
In summary, "caught red-handed" means to be caught in the act of doing something wrong or illegal, and it is used to describe situations where someone has been caught doing something they shouldn't be doing.
• The private investigator caught the CEO red-handed embezzling funds from the company.
• The company was caught red-handed violating environmental regulations by dumping toxic waste into the river.
• The journalist caught the politician red-handed accepting bribes from a lobbyist.
• I caught my little sister red-handed eating all the cookies from the jar.
• The teacher caught the student red-handed cheating during the exam.
• The police caught the thief red-handed as he was trying to break into the house.