What does “Pass the buck” mean?
The phrase "Pass the buck" means to shift or transfer the responsibility or blame to someone else. When someone says "Pass the buck", they are expressing the act of avoiding accountability for a decision or problem by making someone else responsible instead.
How is the expression used in real life?
Example
Whenever there's a problem, he always tries to pass the buck to someone else.
Example
The manager is skilled at passing the buck and avoiding accountability.
Example
She tried to pass the buck onto her colleague when the mistake was clearly hers.
What context can I use each expression in?
- 1Avoiding accountability or responsibility
Whenever there's a problem, he always tries to pass the buck to someone else.
The manager is skilled at passing the buck and avoiding accountability.
- 2Shifting blame onto others
She tried to pass the buck onto her colleague when the mistake was clearly hers.
Instead of accepting responsibility, he decided to pass the buck and blame his team.
- 3Transferring ownership of a problem
The CEO tried to pass the buck to the lower-level employees when the company faced a crisis.
Instead of addressing the issue, the politician decided to pass the buck to the previous administration.
Good things to know:
What is the origin of the phrase?
The phrase "pass the buck" originated in the United States and has its roots in poker. In the game, a marker called a 'buck' was used to indicate the dealer. When a player didn't want to be the dealer, they would 'pass the buck' to the next player. Over time, the phrase evolved to mean shifting responsibility or blame onto someone else.
Can the phrase be used on its own?
The phrase "pass the buck" is typically used within a sentence to describe the act of transferring responsibility. It is not commonly used on its own.
Is the phrase offensive?
The phrase "pass the buck" is not offensive. It is a common slang term used to describe the act of making someone else responsible.
Audience for the phrase
The phrase "pass the buck" is commonly used by English speakers, particularly in the United States. It is understood by a wide range of audiences, especially those familiar with informal language and idiomatic expressions.
Is the phrase specific to an accent or country?
The phrase "pass the buck" originated in the United States and is primarily used in American English. While it may be understood in other English-speaking regions, it is most commonly associated with American culture and language.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
- shift the blame
- transfer responsibility
- evade accountability
- avoid ownership
- delegate the fault
Antonyms
- accept responsibility
- take accountability
- own up to it
- acknowledge fault
- assume the blame
