ENGLISH
REFERENCE

lie at someone's door

idiom
Meaning

To be the fault or responsibility of someone.


Origin

disputed origin

Compare lay at someone's door.

Examples
SIMPLE

The mistake lies at your door.

CONTEXTUAL

The project failed, and the manager knew the blame lay at his door because he ignored the warnings.

COMPLEX

While the committee searched for a scapegoat, the public remained convinced that the ultimate responsibility for the disaster lay at the door of the director.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    another nail in someone's coffin

    An event that increases the likelihood of or causes further failure.

  2. 02

    answer someone's prayers

    To be or do exactly what someone has been wishing or asking for.

  3. 03

    answer to someone's prayers

    Exactly what someone has been wishing or asking for.

  4. 04

    apple of someone's eye

    The object of somebody's affections; a person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers; a favorite, a loved one.

  5. 05

    bane of someone's existence

    Someone or something that poses a significant problem to someone.

  6. 06

    bang down the door

    To present oneself as a strong candidate for a role or achievement, explicitly or implicitly.

  7. 07

    bash someone's face in

    To beat someone violently.

  8. 08

    bash someone's head

    To beat up someone violently.

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