Peanut poacher, or dance partner perhaps?

Caught red-handed orange-handed

To be caught in the act of committing a misdemeanour, with the evidence there for all to see.

The earliest known printed version of 'red-handed' is from Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe, 1819:

"I did but tie one fellow, who was taken redhanded and in the fact, to the horns of a wild stag."

Scott was an avid student of Scottish history and folklore, which he relentlessly mined for inspiration in his novel writing. He is certain to have heard 'redhand' before writing Ivanhoe. The step from 'redhand' to 'redhanded' isn't large, so calling Scott the originator of the term is perhaps being over generous to him. Nevertheless, the enormous popularity of his books certainly brought 'red-handed' to a wide audience and, without him, the term might now be long forgotten. The Phrase Finder



This was not my crispest, clearest shot, but I found it hilarious. Here's two less dramatic ones closer to the prize.

A bit of a stretch pays off.

Pull up a shoulder.