English

Prepositional phrase

in the act

1. (idiomatic) In the process of doing something considered criminal or otherwise wrong; used to emphasize the eye-witness evidence.

   She denied it but she had been spotted in the act.

   He was caught in the act in the store after hours.

Usage notes

• Most commonly used in forms of the phrase catch in the act, or similar.

Synonyms

• red-handed
• in flagrante delicto

Translations