dead to rights en · ADV
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
US, 1854, originally New York City criminal slang, thence entered general use. dead (“completely, utterly”) + to rights (“properly”).
Meanings
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(US, idiomatic, not-comparable) With sufficient evidence to establish responsibility definitively.
have someone dead to rights on something
Because of the video replay, the ref had him dead to rights on the penalty.
Relateds
Synonyms
guiltylike · dead to rights · bang to rights · bang to rights · guiltily · compunctiously · red-handedly · blameworthily · nocently · red-handed