pass the buck
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.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Don't try to pass the buck when you make a mistake.”
“Instead of fixing the software error, the manager tried to pass the buck to the IT department.”
“Rather than addressing the systemic failures within the organization, the executives consistently sought to pass the buck to their subordinates.”
disputed origin
The phrase is thought to have originated in the 19th-century American frontier, emerging from the social nuances of the poker table. A marker, often a knife with a buckhorn handle, was placed before a player to indicate their turn to deal the cards. If a player felt the burden of the deal was inconvenient, they could transfer the obligation to their neighbour by passing the marker.
The knife was eventually referred to simply as the buck. While the marker ensured the fairness of the rotation, passing the buck allowed a player to decline the immediate administrative duties of the game. The object has since vanished from the table, but the act of transferring an unwelcome responsibility remains fixed in the lexicon.
- 01
bang for the buck
Efficiency; cost-effectiveness; value.
- 02
big bucks
Lots of money.
- 03
break the buck
To fall below the value of one dollar per share.
- 04
buck fever
Excitement and nervousness felt by a new hunter upon seeing game.
- 05
buck for
To strive for persistently; to try hard to obtain (a promotion, raise, etc.).
- 06
buck off
Of a horse or other animal, to rear up on its hind legs in order to throw off or dislodge its rider.
- 07
buck the trend
To go against the norm or the current stand of the main population; have a differing opinion from the majority.
- 08
buck up
Cheer up; take courage; take heart.
Last updated August 10, 2026