bang to rights

Slang Term British Unknown very informal

Meaning: caught red-handed

当场抓获,人赃俱获
Pillado con las manos en la masa, pillado in fraganti.
現行犯で捕まる、言い逃れできない状態
현행범으로 잡힌, 부인할 수 없는 증거와 함께 잡힌

Caught with undeniable evidence of guilt. Often used by police to describe a clear-cut case.

被抓到确凿的犯罪证据。警察常用来描述证据确凿的案件。
Atrapado con pruebas irrefutables de culpabilidad. Los policías lo usan a menudo para describir un caso clarísimo.
否定しようのない証拠とともに捕まること。警察が明白な事件を表すときによく使う。
부인할 수 없는 유죄 증거와 함께 잡히는 것. 확실한 사건을 설명할 때 경찰이 자주 쓴다.

Examples

  1. He was caught bang to rights with the stolen goods.
    他带着赃物被当场抓获。
    Lo pillaron con las manos en la masa, con los objetos robados.
    彼は盗品を持ったまま現行犯で捕まった。
    그는 장물을 소지한 채 현행범으로 잡혔다.
  2. They've got you bang to rights on CCTV.
    监控摄像头把你拍得清清楚楚,跑不掉了。
    Te tienen pillado en las cámaras de seguridad.
    防犯カメラにばっちり映っている。言い逃れできないぞ。
    CCTV에 딱 찍혀 있어. 발뺌 못 해.
  3. We had them bang to rights but the case collapsed.
    我们人赃俱获,但案子最终撤了。
    Los teníamos pillados, pero el caso se desmoronó.
    完全に現行犯だったが、裁判が崩れた。
    완전히 현행범이었는데 재판이 무너졌다.

Pronunciation

Usage Guide

Context: police, casual

Tone: emphatic

✓ Do Say

  • Describe undeniable guilt
    描述确凿的罪证
    describir una culpabilidad innegable
    否定しようのない有罪を表す
    부인할 수 없는 유죄를 묘사할 때

✗ Don't Say

  • In formal legal contexts
    在正式法律语境中不用
    En contextos legales formales
    正式な法的文脈では使わない
    공식적인 법적 맥락에서

Origin & History

British police slang. 'Bang' emphasizes certainty, 'to rights' means properly or correctly - so caught properly.

Cultural Context

Era: modern

Generation: all ages

Social background: all

More From This Topic

Nick ★★★★★ To steal; also a police station; also to arrest. Swipe ★★★★★ To steal, especially casually or opportunistically. Grass ★★★★★ An informer; to inform on someone to authorities. Snitch ★★★★★ An informer; to inform on someone. Rat ★★★★★ An informer; a traitor. In hot water ★★★★★ In trouble.
X / Twitter WhatsApp Facebook

More from Crime & Trouble

Practice "bang to rights" on WordLoci

Flashcards, quizzes, audio pronunciation & spaced repetition — all free