The English language has hundreds of expressions and phrases that include the word “hand .” But today we will focus on only a handful . Here “handful ” means a small amount . But keep listening to find out what else it can mean . Today's hand expressions describe situations where you are involved in doing something and that something is bad . Imagine a kitchen . On the kitchen counter is a cookie jar . You can almost smell the freshly-baked cookies that are inside . Now , imagine a child sneaking into the kitchen , climbing onto the counter and reaching into that closed cookie jar . The child knows she's not supposed to eat any sweets before dinner . But she can't stop herself from taking a cookie . If this child is often sneaky and causes trouble we could call her a handful . Used this way , “handful ” means someone or something that is difficult to control . Okay , now back to the kitchen . You walk in and surprise the child . You catch her with her hand in the cookie jar . This expression means discovering someone doing something wrong or forbidden . We often use it for stealing … but not just a little sweet . The “cookie ” in this expression can mean any resource that someone has secretly and dishonestly taken . Sometimes we drop the word “caught ” and simply say someone “had their hand in the cookie jar .” We often use this expression when we are making fun of the situation . That doesn't mean it is not important . It can be very important . But this expression permits us to make a little fun of the person who was caught doing something dishonest . Let's hear it used in this example . I'm going to a press conference at city hall in about an hour . Do you want to come ? What makes you think I would want to go to a press conference with a bunch of politicians ? You KNOW I don't like the mayor . I know you don't . I don't either . That's why we should go . Investigators just caught her with her hand in the cookie jar ! She was stealing public money to pay for her new summer home . She is resigning ! And there are others council members who had their hands in the same cookie jar . They might also be on their way out . Oh , then I WILL go ! What should I wear ? What are you wearing ? This is a very special event ! But let's say you do not want to talk about the situation in this way . You do not want cookies to be involved . Well , you can also catch someone with their hand in the till . Here the word “till ” means a money drawer in a store or bank . Both expressions mean the same thing . But using “till ” instead of “cookie jar ” sounds a bit more serious . When you actually see someone stealing or doing something else bad with your own eyes , you catch them in the act . A more descriptive expression for this is to catch them red-handed ! Many word experts say that “caught red-handed ” comes from a 15th century Scottish expression . But today , we use this expression for just about anything . You don't have to be stealing rabbits for dinner to be caught red-handed . You could simply be lying or cheating , like in this example . Hey , did you hear the news ? Steve and Britta broke up ! He was cheating on her . Are you sure ? He doesn't seem like the type . She surprised him at his office and got a surprise of her own – he was kissing his boss ! You can't argue with that evidence . But there are more . So , until next time … I'm Anna Matteo .