Pass the buck
Suggest a CorrectionMeaning
Shift responsibility, blame, or an unwelcome decision to someone else. Informal and usually critical, because it implies avoidance rather than legitimate delegation. Regional use: American in origin; now widespread.
Origin
The expression comes from American poker. By 1865, a buck was an object marking the player whose turn it was to deal; historical dictionaries connect the name with an earlier buckhorn-handled knife used as that marker. Passing the marker passed the deal to the next player. The figurative sense of transferring responsibility developed later and was established by the early 20th century. Harry S. Truman's much later desk sign, The Buck Stops Here, made the contrasting idea famous but did not create pass the buck.
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Usage Examples
- The contractor tried to pass the buck to the supplier when the roof began to leak.
- Instead of passing the buck, the director explained how she would correct the error.
- Every department passed the buck until no one appeared responsible for the delay.