Chrysti The Wordsmith: Caught Red Handed

Greetings This is Christie the wordsmith. To catch someone red handed is to apprehend him in the commission of a crime. And as the Oxford English Dictionary says with all the evidence of guilt still upon him the red in caught red handed refers to the blood of a victim on the hands of a killer but whose blood it was Depends on the etymological story you prefer one generic history of this phrase explained that game animals in medieval England were the sole property of the King when Royal Game wardens apprehended poachers. It was most likely when they were cleaning and dressing the kill with their arms and hands stained with blood. Here's where medieval poachers were captured in the act of a crime or caught red handed. Theory number two is better documented and is preferred by most etymological sources. Our modern phrase caught red handed almost certainly comes from a 16th century Scottish legal term taken Red Hand which refers to being caught in the commission of a murder and not in the act of taking a game animal. Sir George McKenzie

wrote in his legal discussion called a discourse upon the laws and customs of Scotland in matters criminal 674 quote If he be not taken Red Hand the sheriff cannot proceed against him. Today the expression caught red handed refers to being seized in the act of any violation from shoplifting to kidnapping. I'm Christie the wordsmith. Good day verb of course Christie the wordsmith is sponsored by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Zoot enterprises. A high tech firm in Bozeman Montana offering challenging careers and innovative solutions for the financial services industry sued web dotcom.