ENGLISH
REFERENCE

pass the buck

idiom
Meaning

To transfer responsibility or blame from oneself onto another; to absolve oneself of concern for a given matter by claiming to lack authority or jurisdiction.


Origin

disputed origin

May have originated with the game of poker, in which a marker or counter, frequently in frontier days a knife with a buckhorn handle, was used to indicate the person whose turn it was to deal. If the player did not wish to deal he could pass the responsibility by passing the "buckhorn" or "buck", as the marker came to be called, to the next player.

Examples
SIMPLE

Don't try to pass the buck when you make a mistake.

CONTEXTUAL

Instead of fixing the software error, the manager tried to pass the buck to the IT department.

COMPLEX

Rather than addressing the systemic failures within the organization, the executives consistently sought to pass the buck to their subordinates.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    bang for the buck

    Efficiency; cost-effectiveness; value.

  2. 02

    break the buck

    To fall below the value of one dollar per share.

  3. 03

    buck fever

    Excitement and nervousness felt by a new hunter upon seeing game.

  4. 04

    buck for

    To strive for persistently; to try hard to obtain (a promotion, raise, etc.).

  5. 05

    buck off

    Of a horse or other animal, to rear up on its hind legs in order to throw off or dislodge its rider.

  6. 06

    buck the trend

    To go against the norm or the current stand of the main population; have a differing opinion from the majority.

  7. 07

    buck up

    Cheer up; take courage; take heart.

  8. 08

    buck up one's ideas

    to pull one's socks up

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