- Meaning
- This idiom means to be caught in the act of doing something wrong or sneaky, typically something minor or mischievous, with clear evidence of guilt. It evokes the image of a child caught stealing cookies, suggesting a playful or relatable transgression, and is used in contexts of petty misdeeds or indiscretions.
- Origin
- The phrase emerged in early 20th-century America, rooted in domestic imagery of children sneaking treats from a cookie jar, a common household item. It appeared in print by the 1920s, with a 1925 *Saturday Evening Post* story using ‘hand in the cookie jar’ to describe a child’s mischief. By the mid-20th century, it was metaphorical, applied to adults caught in minor wrongdoings, as seen in political cartoons and journalism. Its lighthearted, universal imagery ensured its popularity in American and global English.
- Variants
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- Hand in the cookie jar
- Caught with your hand in the jar
- Examples
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- He was caught with his hand in the cookie jar, sneaking extra dessert before dinner.
- She got caught with her hand in the cookie jar, using the office printer for personal projects.
- With his hand in the cookie jar, he couldn’t deny taking money from the petty cash.
- They were caught with their hands in the cookie jar, leaking the surprise party plans.
- Caught with her hand in the jar, she admitted to reading her sister’s diary.
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