释义 |
catch (one) in the act catch (one) in the actTo see, and perhaps apprehend, someone as they are doing something (often something nefarious). The police caught the robbers in the act of ransacking another house. I suspected that my friend was stealing money from me, and then I caught her in the act.See also: act, catchcaught in the actSeen, and perhaps apprehended, while doing something (often something nefarious). Our security cameras caught the burglar in the act.See also: act, caughtcatch someone in the act (of doing something)to discover someone doing a [bad] deed at the very moment when the deed is being done. I caught her in the act of stealing the coat. He was caught in the act of taking money from the cash box.See also: act, catchcaught in the act and caught red-handedFig. seen doing something illegal or private. (See also catch someone in the act (of doing something) and catch someone red-handed.) Tom was caught in the act and cannot deny what he did. Many car thieves are caught red-handed.See also: act, caughtcatch in the actsee under catch red-handed. See also: act, catchcatch somebody in the ˈact (of doing something) find somebody while they are doing something they should not be doing: She turned round to catch him in the act of trying to run upstairs.This expression is often used in the passive: He was caught in the act of stealing a car.See also: act, catch, somebody |