blame

I. blame¹ S2 W3 /bleɪm/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old French; Origin: blamer, from Late Latin blasphemare; ⇨ blaspheme]
1. to say or think that someone or something is responsible for something bad:
Don’t blame me – it’s not my fault.
I blame his mother. She does everything for him.
blame somebody/something for something
Marie still blames herself for Patrick’s death.
The report blames poor safety standards for the accident.
The decision to increase interest rates was widely blamed (=blamed by many people) for the crisis.
blame something on somebody/something
One of the computers is broken and she’s blaming it on me.
The crash was blamed on pilot error.
2. somebody/something is to blame (for something) used to say that someone or something is responsible for something bad:
Officials believe that more than one person may be to blame for the fire.
partly/largely/entirely etc to blame
Television is partly to blame.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say something is someone's fault , rather than saying they are to blame:
▪ He was to blame for the accident. ➔ The accident was his fault.
3. I don’t blame you/you can hardly blame him etc spoken used to say that you think it was right or reasonable for someone to do what they did:
‘She’s left her husband.’ ‘I don’t blame her, after the way he treated her.’
You can hardly blame him for not waiting.
4. don’t blame me spoken used when you are advising someone not to do something but you think that they will do it in spite of your advice:
Buy it then, but don’t blame me when it breaks down.
5. somebody only has himself/herself to blame spoken used to say that someone’s problems are their own fault:
If he fails his exams, he’ll only have himself to blame.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ blame verb [transitive] to say or think that someone or something is responsible for something bad that has happened: Democrats have blamed Republicans for the failure to reach an agreement. | Police blamed bad weather for a series of accidents on the roads. | For many years I blamed myself for her death. | They blamed the failure of the business on the economic downturn.
▪ put/place/lay the blame on somebody/something to say who or what you think is responsible for something bad that has happened, often unfairly or wrongly: Don’t try to put the blame on me! | Subsequent investigations placed the blame squarely on city officials. | Farmers have laid the blame for their problems entirely on EU policies.
▪ say it’s sb’s fault especially spoken to say that someone is responsible for something bad that has happened: Are you saying it’s my fault that we lost the game?
▪ hold somebody responsible to say that someone is responsible for something bad that has happened, because it was their duty to prevent it from happening: He was held personally responsible for the failure of the project.
▪ take the rap informal (also carry the can British English informal) to be blamed and punished for something that you did not do, or that someone else is also responsible for: He expects his wife to take the rap for him. | Alan’s colleagues decided to let him carry the can.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

blame

blame [blame blames blamed blaming] verb, noun [bleɪm] [bleɪm]

verb
to think or say that sb/sth is responsible for sth bad
• ~ sb/sth (for sth) She doesn't blame anyone for her father's death.
• A dropped cigarette is being blamed for the fire.
• ~ sth on sb/sth Police are blaming the accident on dangerous driving.
Verb forms:

Word Origin:
Middle English: from Old French blamer, blasmer (verb), from a popular Latin variant of ecclesiastical Latin blasphemare ‘reproach, revile, blaspheme’, from Greek blasphēmein, from blasphēmos ‘evil-speaking’.
Thesaurus:
blame verb T
• She blamed the police for failing to respond quickly.
criticize • • attack • • condemn • • denounce • |formal censure • • rebuke • • castigate •
blame/criticize/attack/condemn/denounce/censure/rebuke/castigate sb/sth for sth
blame/criticize/attack/condemn/denounce/censure the government/president
blame/criticize/attack/condemn/denounce/censure/rebuke/castigate sb/sth publicly
Example Bank:
• A spokesman said that bad weather was partly to blame for the delay.
• Blaming the victim is characteristic of any prejudice.
• He is widely blamed for masterminding the attacks.
• I don't blame Jack for the mistake.
• The government has been widely blamed for the crisis.
• Whenever something goes wrong, everyone blames it on me.
• You can hardly blame Peter for being angry with her.
• You can't really blame them for not telling you.
• Call her if you like but don't blame me if she's angry.
• If you lose your job you'll only have yourself to blame.
• She blamed the government for failing to respond to the crisis.
• She doesn't blame anyone for her father's death.

Idioms: I don't blame you ▪ don't blame me ▪ only have yourself to blame ▪ to blame

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition

blame / bleɪm / verb [ T ]

B1 to say or think that someone or something did something wrong or is responsible for something bad happening:

Don't blame me (= it is not my fault) if you miss the bus!

Hugh blames his mother for his lack of confidence.

Hugh blames his lack of confidence on his mother.

You can't really blame Helen for not want ing to get involved.

I don't blame sb C2 said in order to tell someone that you understand why they are doing something and that you agree with their reason for doing it:

I don't blame him for getting angry - she's behaving dreadfully.

'I decided to leave.' 'I don't blame you!'

be to blame C1 to be the reason for something that happens:

The hot weather is partly to blame for the water shortage.

Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

blame

[ble͟ɪm]
♦♦
blames, blaming, blamed
1) VERB If you blame a person or thing for something bad, you believe or say that they are responsible for it or that they caused it.
  [V n for n] The commission is expected to blame the army for many of the atrocities...
  [V n on n] The police blamed the explosion on terrorists...
  [V n] If it wasn't Sam's fault, why was I blaming him?
N-UNCOUNT
Blame is also a noun. Nothing could relieve my terrible sense of blame.
2) N-UNCOUNT: oft N for n/-ing The blame for something bad that has happened is the responsibility for causing it or letting it happen.
  Some of the blame for the miscarriage of justice must be borne by the solicitors...
  The president put the blame squarely on his opponent.
3) VERB: usu with brd-neg If you say that you do not blame someone for doing something, you mean that you consider it was a reasonable thing to do in the circumstances.
  [V n for -ing] I do not blame them for trying to make some money...
  [V n] He slammed the door and stormed off. I could hardly blame him.
4) PHRASE: v-link PHR If someone is to blame for something bad that has happened, they are responsible for causing it.
  If their forces were not involved, then who is to blame?...
  The policy is partly to blame for causing the worst unemployment in Europe.
5) PHRASE: V inflects If you say that someone has only themselves to blame or has no-one but themselves to blame, you mean that they are responsible for something bad that has happened to them and that you have no sympathy for them.
  My life is ruined and I suppose I only have myself to blame.

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

¹blame /ˈbleɪm/ verb blames; blamed; blam·ing [+ obj] : to say or think that a person or thing is responsible for something bad that has happened
• Don't blame me. You are responsible for your own problems.
• Don't blame me for your problems. = Don't blame your problems on me.
• The company blames the poor economy for its financial losses. = The company blames its financial losses on the poor economy.
• My father always blames everything on me.
• I blame the poor harvest on the weather.
blame the messenger
- see messenger
have yourself to blame
✦If you have only yourself to blame or have no one to blame but yourself, then something is your fault and nobody else's.
• She has only herself to blame for her money problems.
not blame
✦If you say that you wouldn't/don't/can't blame someone or can hardly blame someone, you think that person has a good reason for doing something.
• After the way he treated you, I wouldn't blame you [=I would completely understand] if you never spoke to him again.
• You can hardly blame her for being angry.
to blame : responsible for something bad : deserving to be blamed for something.
• Who's to blame for these problems?
• He says he's not to blame for the delays. [=he did not cause the delays]
• Poor communication is at least partly to blame. [=at fault]