Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

hand in the cookie jar

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.68 in modern English

Syllables: hand in the -cook-ie -jar
IPA

38

Scrabble Score

18

Letters

4

Syllables

12

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Used to indicate an instance of being caught doing something wrong, dishonest, or unauthorized, especially stealing or abusing a position of trust.

Example Sentences

"She had her hand in the cookie jar throughout her term of office."
"He was caught with his hand in the cookie jar and eventually found guilty of embezzlement."
"A Long Beach insurance broker, who admittedly got caught with his "hand in the cookie jar", has been accused of the theft of $400,000 from the Bank of America."
"Any crisis, whether it is a plant explosion or an executive caught with his hand in the cookie jar, takes on a life of its own."
"There are chief executives of some companies who know their hands were in the cookie jar, but who are convinced that no mere lawyer could ever pin it on them."
"Frankenmanto was, in fact, a certified kleptomaniac who had to carry a doctor’s letter on her to explain the embarrassing little moments when she was caught with her hand in the cookie jar."

Etymology

After small children disobediently taking cookies from a cookie jar to snack on, hoping that their parents will not notice.

Inflected Forms

hands in the cookie jar (plural) hands in cookie jars (plural)

Synonyms

caught raiding the cookie jar fingers in the cookie jar

Questions

What does hand in the cookie jar mean?: Used to indicate an instance of being caught doing something wrong, dishonest, or unauthorized, especially stealing or abusing a position of trust.
Where does hand in the cookie jar come from?: After small children disobediently taking cookies from a cookie jar to snack on, hoping that their parents will not notice.

How to pronounce hand in the cookie jar

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