Responsibility

Colloquial phrases concerned with the idea of responsibil­ity include the following:

Leave it to me expresses a willingness to undertake respon­sibility and means I'll make myself responsible for it. The latter is also colloquially used.

You must stay and have dinner with us. Leave it to me to tell your father. (7. G.) "You leave it to me, " she said. "I'll see her." (S. M.)

"And the show at the pavilion?" she giggled. "You must leave that to me, my dear." (V. L.) I'll make myself responsible for the arrangement. I see no reason why I should make myself re­sponsible for his mistakes. (W. B.) "You'll leave everything to me?" he said. "Every­thing, " she echoed. (A. C.)

it's up to you — - it is your responsibility; the responsibil­ity rests with you

It's up to you to teach him better. (D. E. S.) It's up to you to break the news to her. (W. B.) It was up to me to tell her about Helen. (W. B.) It was up to her to take that decision.

to take (something) on — to accept responsibility

You've taken a bit too much, on... Most of the stuff isn't your responsibility. (W. B.) John has taken on that job at the office for the time being. (W. B.)

I'm not going to take any more work on now, I'm too busy.

To take it upon oneself means undertaking something abitrarily, i. e. without proper authorisation.

He strikes me as taking a bit too much on him­self. (W. B.)

Look here, Charles. I take all responsibility on myself. (A. Chr.)

(to have something) on ones hand(s) — (to have it) resting on one as a responsibility, under one's charge

Myself, I don't bother about the surgeries, I have the hospital on my hands. (A. C.) I have an empty house on my hands. (A. H.) "You have grave affairs on hand?" Poirot shook his head. (A. Chr.)

to let oneself in for — being involved in some unpleasant responsibility (difficulty, loss)

"My word, she doesn't know what she's letting herself in for, " said Banford... (D. L.) If I'd known what I was letting myself in for, I wouldn't have come here. (B. Sh.) I oughtn't to have let you in for this, Jean, it was I who brought the young things together, you know. (J. G.)

Do you two boys know what you're letting your­self in for? (S. H.)

(to do something) off one's own bat — (to do it) on one's own initiative, and the action is usually regarded fa­vourably

He arranged the show completely off his own

bat. (W. B.)

Do you think he acted off his own bat?

to be landed with someone (something) — to have an unpleasant responsibility thrust upon one

I am landed with her as a travelling companion. (W. B.)

to carry (take) the can (back) — to have to answer for other people's misdeeds, bear the chief burden of blame

I'm not responsible and I'm certainly not going to carry the can.

I suppose I will have to take the can back for the lot. (W. B.)

to carry (hold) the baby — to be left with an unpleas­ant responsibility or task

We moved house just when Dad was on a business trip. So Mummy and I had to carry the baby alone. (K. N.) He was left holding the baby. (W. B.)

To shift the responsibility on to someone else is to pass the buck (baby).

Yates had no desire to go to the kitchen. He passed the buck to Bing... (S. H.) You're always trying to pass the buck to some­body.

Other expressions for evasion of responsibility are: that's your (his, etc.) funeral — that's your (his, etc.) responsibility in the event of failure; whatever happens, you alone are responsible

that's your (his, etc.) look-out — in case of failure, you (he, etc.) alone are responsible is similarly used

All right, it's your funeral. But I still think

you ought to have a definite figure in mind.

(M. W.)

If the car breaks down, it will be your funeral.

(D. E. S.)

"Oh, well, it's not my funeral, " he went on.

"If the governor wants to keep him on here

whether he's fitted for anything special or not,

that's his look-out." (Th. D.)

Never you mind what I look her for; that's my

look-out. (Ch. D.)

"If you wait for me, you may wait till Doomsday." "I guess that's my look-out." (L. A.)

it's (not) my (his, etc.) pigeon — it's (not) my (his, etc.) concern

Leave the unpacking to me. That's my pigeon. You can get the kettle boiling for the tea. (W. B.) The prisoners are my pigeon, and you've got no right to interfere. (S. M.) "One understands, " the detective said to the chief... "that this lady I have seen is not our pigeon at all." (V. L.) But isn't it his pigeon?

to wash one's hand of something (somebody) — to disclaim all further responsibility for it (him)

If you must come to grief, you must; I wash my

hands of it. (J. G.)

Either you cut it out, or we should have to wash

our hands of the whole business. (C. S.)

If you don't come back to-morrow, I'll wash my

hands of you.

If you marry that wastrel, I shall wash my hands

of you. (W. B.)

The evasion of responsibility is also expressed thus: to hang back — to be reluctant to assume responsibility; show unwilingness to act or move

You were driving yourself with the idea that I wouldn't be able to hang back if you set a fast pace. (M. W.)

When the officer asked for volunteers, not one soldier hung back. (A. H.)

to back out — to withdraw from understanding, agree­ment, etc.

Do you think I'm trying to back out? (M. W.)

I had been lying. There was still time to back

out. (C. S.)

Aren't you going to help us? Are you backing

out?

to shirk it (responsibility, danger, work, etc.) — to avoid

it

Mind you, we may have to tell you that it's not your vocation. One mustn't shirk one's respon­sibilities. (C. S.)

With you at the end awaiting me, I have never shirked. (7. L.)

Unpleasant to be thought a shirker by one's own mother. But it wasn't shirking. (J. G.)

Have it your own way! resigns responsibility to someone who has been persistently clamouring for it. It means Do just what you want to, I refuse to argue or discuss it further!

He grinned. "Have it your own way. You always

do." (V. L.)

Very well then, have it your own way. I leave

it in your hands. (A. Chr.)

"All right, have it your own way, " he said. (S. M.)

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