bang to rights

bang to rights
adj, adv
British
caught red-handed, without hope of escape. This 19th-century expression (paralleled in American English by dead to rights) is usually heard in the form 'caught bang to rights' or 'we've got him/ her bang to rights' (i.e. helpless, indefen-sible). Until the 1970s the term was part of the restricted codes of the police and underworld; since then the phrase has been given wider currency, particularly by the realist plays of G. F. Newman. bang up vb
1.
to inject oneself (with heroin or another hard drug). One of many drug-users' terms with overtones of bravado. Popular in Britain in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
2.
British
to imprison, shut away. A working-class, police and prisoners' term.
► 'Being banged up's no joke, even in an open prison.' (Recorded, remand prisoner, 1986)

Contemporary slang . 2014.

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  • bang to rights — 1. Orig, caught red handed (criminal sl) 2. Certainly, absolutely, no doubt (informal) • • • Main Entry: ↑bang * * * bang (or dead) to rights informal (of a criminal) with positive proof of guilt we ve …   Useful english dictionary

  • bang to rights — 1. adjective caught red handed; in a guilty state. Mad Pierre sarcastically responded that the spammer was correct. “Damn, youve got us bang to rights. Syn: dead to rights 2 …   Wiktionary

  • bang to rights — Phrs. Caught red handed. Police/criminal vernacular often heard used jocularly …   English slang and colloquialisms

  • have (got) someone bang to rights — british very informal phrase to have enough evidence to prove that someone is guilty of a crime Thesaurus: to try to show that an idea or belief is wrongsynonym Main entry: right …   Useful english dictionary

  • bang to Byrites — adj British (of a male) dressed in poor taste/cheap clothing. The phrase is a play on the expression bang to rights (guilty or caught in the act) and Mr Byrite, the name of a now defunct chain of men s clothing stores. Caught wearing cheap… …   Contemporary slang

  • bang (or N. Amer. dead) to rights — informal (of a criminal) with positive proof of guilt. → right …   English new terms dictionary

  • Bang music — Infobox Company name = Bang Music LLC type = Independent foundation = 1989 location city = New York, NY location country = USA location = 3 locations: NY, LA and Norway locations = key people = Lyle GreenfieldBrian JonesBrad StrattonSara Iversen… …   Wikipedia

  • (bang) dead to rights — mod. in the act; [guilty] without question. □ We caught her dead to rights with the loot still on her. □ There he was, bang dead to rights with the gun still smoking …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

  • dead to rights — adverb : without possibility of escape, excuse, or palliation (as from a charge of guilt) : red handed we had him dead to rights caught dead to rights on a bribery charge * * * informal in the act of doing something wrong; red handed …   Useful english dictionary

  • dead bang — adv, adj American caught in flagrante or red handed. An American police version of dead to rights or the British bang to rights. I got you dead bang for breaking into Eddie s apartment. (The Rockford Files, US TV crime series, 1979) …   Contemporary slang

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