Crime & Police Idioms - Learn English Idioms - English Lesson About Crime -

Learn to express yourself confidently in fluent English and sound like a native speaker with our FREE Power Learning video course! Learn English Idioms! Here are some useful crime and police idioms from ! These idioms all have their origins in criminal activity, but they have many uses in regular conversations to describe innocent situations. A Steal A steal is something you bought that is much cheaper than you expected. We use this idiom to indicate something that is such a great value, that it’s almost like you stole it. I found a pair of designer shoes for over 90% off! They were a real steal! Partners In Crime Partners in crime are people who work together to commit a crime or trick others. This idiom can also be used as an exaggeration to describe any group of people, including children, who regularly do things together. Those kids up the street are real partners in crime. They do everything together. Beat The Rap To beat the rap means to escape punishment for a crime. This idiom can be used to describe anyone who gets away with something. The boy was sent to the principal’s office for fighting, but he talked his way out of detention and beat the rap. Cop A Plea To cop a plea means to plead guilty to, or say you did, a crime in order to receive a lighter punishment. People usually do this when they know they will be caught and punished more severely for not confessing to a crime they committed. The man who stole the car copped a plea to spend less time in jail. Face The Music To face the music means to receive punishment for a crime you committed. People usually face something like an enemy or something else they aren’t looking forward to. This idiom can be used when receiving punishment for doing anything wrong. The girl was caught trying to steal candy from a baby and had to face the music. A Slap On The Wrist When you get or give a slap on the wrist, you get or give a punishment that is light or easy in comparison to the crime committed. This idiom comes from teaching children to behave by slapping them gently on the wrist, or the area just above the hand, when they do something wrong. You will often hear this idiom used when companies who commit crimes like dumping toxic waste only have to pay small amounts of money as punishment. That executive only got a slap on the wrist after losing the pension money of his employees. Get Away With Murder When you get away with murder, you are not punished for doing something bad. This idiom comes from real court cases where people suspected of committing crimes are found not guilty. My brother always stays out late and recently crashed our car, but my parents never punish him! He gets away with murder! On The Case To be on the case means to be solving a problem or taking control of a situation. This idiom comes from cases, or crimes, that police attempt to solve. A case is opened when begun and closed when it solved. Someone keeps stealing my cookies! Until I find out who it is, I’m on the case! For more tips, lessons and videos, and to discover the 7 secrets to becoming a confident, fluent English speaker easily and automatically, visit us at