ENGLISH
REFERENCE

have one's hand in the till

idiom
Meaning

To embezzle, to steal from one's place of business.


Origin

disputed origin

From the most basic form of the crime: a shop assistant removing cash from the register.

Examples
SIMPLE

The manager fired the clerk for having his hand in the till.

CONTEXTUAL

The audit revealed that the accountant had his hand in the till for several months, stealing thousands of dollars.

COMPLEX

The company’s reputation collapsed once the public discovered that the trusted treasurer had his hand in the till, siphoning off funds meant for charity.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    abound in one's own sense

    To follow one’s own inclinations and opinions.

  2. 02

    ace up one's sleeve

    A surprise advantage of which others are not aware.

  3. 03

    act one's age

    To behave in a manner appropriate to one's age.

  4. 04

    act one's age, not one's shoe size

    Synonym of act one's age (“to behave in a mature manner; to avoid being childish”).

  5. 05

    afraid of one's own shadow

    Exceptionally timid.

  6. 06

    air one's dirty laundry in public

    To reveal one's sordid secrets to the public.

  7. 07

    air one's dirty linen in public

    Synonym of air one's dirty laundry in public.

  8. 08

    albatross around one's neck

    A characteristic, possession, associate, or previous deed that hinders one's ability to succeed.

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