pass the buck
Say it: pass the BUK /ˌpɑːs ðə ˈbʌk/ · idiom
What “pass the buck” means
Make someone else take responsibility or blame.
More precisely: To shift responsibility or blame onto someone else.
Example: “When the project failed, every manager tried to pass the buck.”
When to use it
At work or in everyday disagreements, to criticise someone for avoiding responsibility by pushing it onto another person.
Similar words
shift the blame, shirk responsibility
Where it comes from
From poker, where a marker called a buck showed whose turn it was to deal.
Quick check
You forget to order supplies, then tell your manager it's your assistant's problem to explain and fix. Which phrase describes this?
pass the buck or delegate responsibility?
Show the answer
pass the buck
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