1. Home
2. Idioms
3. catch in the act

catch in the act

---

---

catch 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, catch

catch somebody in the act

to see someone doing something illegal or wrong If you are speeding and one of our officers catches you in the act, you will get a ticket.

See also: act, catch

catch somebody in the act

to discover someone doing something wrong I was trying to clear up the mess on the carpet before anyone noticed it, but Isobel came in and caught me in the act.

See also: act, catch

catch in the act

see under catch red-handed.

See also: act, catch