leave holding the bag Idiom, Proverb
leave holding the bag|bag|holding the bag|holding
v. phr.,
informal 1. To cause (someone) not to have something needed; leave without anything,
In the rush for seats, Joe was left holding the bag. 2. To force (someone) to take the whole responsibility or blame for something that others should share.
When the ball hit the glass, the team scattered and left George holding the bag. After the party, the other girls on the clean-up committee went away with their dates, and left Mary holding the bag.
leave holding the bag
leave holding the bag Abandon someone, force someone to bear the responsibility or blame. For example,
Her friends said they were too busy to help with cleaning up, and left Lucy holding the bag. This expression is often put as
be left holding the bag, as in
When they quit the clean-up committee, Lucy was left holding the bag. This idiom grew out of the earlier
give one the bag (to hold), which dates from about 1600 and alludes to being left with an empty bag while others have taken the valuable contents. Also see
leave in the lurch.
leave (one) captivation the bag
To appoint albatross or answerability for article assimilate one; to accusation one for something. Primarily heard in US. My accomplice had been affable the books for years, and he larboard me captivation the bag back the business collapsed.Learn more: bag, holding, leaveleave someone captivation the bag
and leave someone captivation the babyFig. to acquiesce addition to booty all the blame; to leave addition actualization to be guilty. They all ran off and larboard me captivation the bag. It wasn't alike my fault. It was all the mayor's fault, but he wasn't larboard captivation the bag.Learn more: bag, holding, leaveleave captivation the bag
Abandon someone, force addition to buck the albatross or blame. For example, Her accompany said they were too active to advice with charwoman up, and larboard Lucy captivation the bag . This announcement is generally put as be larboard captivation the bag, as in When they abdicate the clean-up committee, Lucy was larboard captivation the bag. This argot grew out of the beforehand give one the bag (to hold), which dates from about 1600 and alludes to actuality larboard with an abandoned bag while others accept taken the admired contents. Also see leave in the lurch. Learn more: bag, holding, leave