English Idioms
Comprehensive resource for understanding and mastering English idioms
Pass the buck
Meaning
The idiom "pass the buck" means to shift responsibility, blame, or burden onto someone else, often by transferring an object (such as a dollar bill) from one person to another. The literal meaning is that when a cowboy received a task he didn't want to do, he would pass a buck to the person next to him, indicating that the other person should take care of it instead. In contemporary language, the idiom is often used in a metaphorical sense to describe how people try to avoid taking responsibility for their actions or decisions.
Usage
- When the boss asked me to complete the project before the deadline, I decided to pass the buck and delegated the task to my team members.
- The new CEO of the company is known for passing the buck onto his subordinates when it comes to making tough decisions.
- If you don't want to do something, just pass the buck to someone else who can handle it.
- In some cultures, it's considered impolite to pass the buck too often or too quickly, as it can be seen as a sign of laziness or irresponsibility.
- The politician passed the buck when asked about his role in the scandal, blaming his staff for making mistakes.
Roots and History
The origin of the idiom "pass the buck" is believed to have come from cowboy culture in the late 1800s. Cowboys would often receive tasks they didn't want to do, such as taking care of a sick horse or cleaning up after a messy campfire. To avoid these tasks, cowboys would pass a dollar bill (a "buck") to the person next to them, indicating that they should take care of it instead. Over time, the idiom evolved to mean shifting responsibility in a more metaphorical sense, and it became commonly used in contemporary language.
Synonyms in English
- Pass on the responsibility
- Shift the blame
- Transfer the burden
- Delegate the task
- Hand over the workload
Synonyms in other languages
- 放弃责任 (fàng qì zhě xiē) - Chinese
- 處責 (zhǔ zhě) - Chinese
- 轉移責任 (zhù yī zhě yú zhòng xián jiān shèng) - Chinese
- 預期歸責 (yòu qǐ suì zhòng jiān) - Chinese
- 遞責 (jiào zhě) - Arabic