be left holding the baby
be left holding the baby
To be abandoned and burdened with the blame or responsibility of something; to be made to deal with something because no one else is willing to participate or be held accountable. The CEO vanished when the police started investigating our questionable investment activity, and I was left holding the baby! John and the boys decided to go to the bar when it came time to clean up after the party, so the other wives and I were left holding the baby.
See also: baby, holding, left
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
be left holding the baby
BRITISHIf you are left holding the baby, you are made responsible for a problem that nobody else wants to deal with. If anything goes wrong on this, Agnes, it's you and I who'll be left holding the baby. More often than he liked, Taylor was left holding the baby. Note: The usual American expression is be left holding the bag.
See also: baby, holding, left
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
be left holding the baby
be left with an unwelcome responsibility, often without warning.A US variant of this expression is be left holding the bag .
See also: baby, holding, left
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
- (one) could use (something)
- (I) wouldn't (do something) if I were you
- (one) never would have guessed
- (one) doesn't give a rip (about something)
- all right
- (one) doesn't give a hoot (about something)
- a/the feel of (something)
- (one) won't hear of (something)
- a straw will show which way the wind blows
- (one's) heart is set on (something)