English Explanatory Dictionary

dead to rights

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adv
  1. With sufficient evidence to establish responsibility definitively.

Pronunciation

en-au-dead to rights.ogg

Word forms

dead to rights

Etymology

US, 1854, originally New York City criminal slang, thence entered general use. dead (“completely, utterly”) + to rights (“properly”).

Synonyms

bang to rights red-handed blameworthily compunctiously dead to rights guiltylike guiltily nocently red-handedly

Related words

guilty as charged
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