to lay the blame at the feet of (someone)

Examples

• All

• Sorry, Gary, but I can't lay the blame at the feet of the "GOP establishment."

  Blog text (12)

• Trumka laid the blame at the feet of investment firms like Bain Capital, which drove Hostess into the ground, but its workers are paying the price.

  Blog text (15)

• It's damning because, even as the investigation into the attack was just beginning, Obama repeatedly laid the blame at the feet of an obscure filmmaker for provoking the "protesters" -- and then had the chutzpah to say Romney "shoots first and aims later" for the sin of blaming the terrorists.

  Blog text (4)

• The manager decided to lay the blame at the feet of the suppliers for the delay in production.

• After the team's failure, it was easy to lay the blame at the feet of the coach for not preparing them adequately.

Synonyms

B

to blame

vsto lay the blame at the feet of (someone)

∞ 1.6

To say that someone or something caused something bad

assigns that responsibility to a particular person or group

A

to accuse

vsto lay the blame at the feet of (someone)

∞ 2.7

Say that someone did something wrong or illegal

is about holding a named person or group responsible for the issue

B

to blame it on

vsto lay the blame at the feet of (someone)

81 3.7

To say someone or something caused a problem

does this by pointing to a specific person or group

P

to pin on

vsto lay the blame at the feet of (someone)

60 4.8

To say someone caused a problem when they did not

similarly singles out a particular person or group for the problem

F

to fault

vsto lay the blame at the feet of (someone)

50 4.3

To blame someone for a mistake or problem

focuses instead on naming a specific person or group as responsible

P

to point fingers

vsto lay the blame at the feet of (someone)

• Informal

46 4.8

To blame someone when it is not clear who is at fault

instead directs responsibility clearly at a particular person or group

I

to impute

vsto lay the blame at the feet of (someone)

• Formal

11 8.7

To blame a person or thing for something bad, often without proof

does the same but specifically names a person or group as responsible

S

to scapegoat

vsto lay the blame at the feet of (someone)

4 4.1

To unfairly blame someone for problems caused by others

instead assigns responsibility clearly to a particular named person or group

L

to lay at the feet of

vsto lay the blame at the feet of (someone)

1 8.1

To say someone caused or deserves credit for something

uses the same attribution but for holding a named person or group responsible

W

to wite

vsto lay the blame at the feet of (someone)

• Archaic

9.9

To blame someone for doing something wrong

does so by singling out a particular person or group

L

to lie at someone's door

vsto lay the blame at the feet of (someone)

7.8

To be someone's fault or responsibility

narrows the claim to a named person or group rather than general ownership

Antonyms

E

to excuse

384 2.2

Forgive a fault or bad behaviour

A

to absolve

• Formal

50 7.2

Make someone officially free from blame, guilt, or responsibility

How Responsible

to accuse

∞ 2.7

to lay the blame at the feet of (someone)

1 6.9

to blame

∞ 1.6

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology