catch in 4K

English

Alternative forms

catch in 4k

Etymology

Originally from YouTuber RDCworld1's 2019 video How Lawyers Always Get Rappers Off, in which a lawyer talks to his client who was caught on video committing various crimes. The original quote is: "This is the clearest video I've ever seen! This is the most HD shit ever! This is 4K!!! How did they catch you in 4K?!"

Pronunciation

Audio (US): (file)

Verb

catch in 4K (third-person singular simple present catches in 4K, present participle catching in 4K, simple past and past participle caught in 4K)

(transitive, slang, hyperbolic) To catch (someone) doing something objectionable with exceptionally clear evidence, such as a high-resolution image or a public social media post.
Synonyms: catch in the act, catch red-handed
- 2021 April 28, Princess Weekes, “Showrunner Malcolm Spellman Explains Why He Killed [Redacted] on Falcon and the Winter Soldier”, in The Mary Sue‎^[1]:
  Karli punches Lemar so hard he crashes into a pillar and dies, one of the darkest scenes in the MCU that is then topped when John, in a revenge rage, bashes in the head of a Flag-Smasher with Cap’s shield as dozens of civilians catch him in 4k with their cellphone cameras.
- 2022 May 25, Hayley Soen, “Ok, this moment proves Made in Chelsea is officially the most staged show of all time”, in The Tab‎^[2]:
  We knew it was bad, but it’s just been caught in 4k here.
- 2022 August 25, Alyssa Mercante, “Destiny 2 streamers complain about new PvP matchmaking, but Bungie says it didn't change anything”, in GamesRadar‎^[3]:
  It turns out, however, that there wasn't actually anything different going on behind the matchmaking scenes, because Bungie forgot to turn skill-based matchmaking on. I believe the kids call this "getting caught in 4K."
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see catch,‎ in,‎ 4K.

Usage notes

Generally used in the past tense ("caught in 4K").