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dead to rights

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(bang) dead to rights

in the act; (guilty) without question. We caught her dead to rights with the loot still on her. There he was, bang dead to rights with the smoking gun still in his hands.

See also: dead, right

dead to rights

In the act of committing an error or crime, red-handed. For example, They caught the burglars dead to rights with the Oriental rugs. This phrase uses to rights in the sense of "at once." [Slang; mid-1800s]

See also: dead, right

dead to rights

verb

See bang dead to rights

See also: dead, right

dead to rights

In the very act of making an error or committing a crime: The police caught the thief dead to rights with my silverware.

See also: dead, right