point the finger

point the finger at (one)

To indicate that one is guilty of (doing) something; to blame or accuse one of (doing) something. She'll say that she doesn't blame anyone, but I know that, in her heart, she points the finger at me. Now, I'm not pointing the finger at anyone in particular, but someone here has been stealing food from the communal refrigerator.
See also: finger, point
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

point the finger

openly accuse someone or apportion blame.
1998 Spectator Reason suggests that one should point the finger at those who whipped up the emotion in the first place.
See also: finger, point
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

point a/the ˈfinger (at somebody)

say you think somebody is responsible for something; accuse somebody of doing something: It was his wife who pointed the finger at him in the end.
See also: finger, point
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • point a/the finger
  • point the finger at
  • point the finger at (one)
  • point the finger at someone
  • place the blame for (something) on (someone or something)
  • place the blame on (someone or something) for (something)
  • be left holding the baby
  • place the blame on
  • place the blame on (someone or something)
  • put the blame on (someone or something)
References in classic literature
But, now that fortune had cast in his way a nameless orphan, at whom even the meanest could point the finger of scorn, he retorted on him with interest.
Normally, each party tries to point the finger at the other over budgetary impasses, but the president complicated that strategy for Republicans during an extraordinary December 11 White House meeting with Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).
There is no-one to point the finger at, we all know Africa is haphazardly represented on the international stage.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Vaughan said that he hates it when captains point the finger at players, which is one of the things that he wants changed in the game, adding that Clarke has done the same on a number of occasions and needs to stop it.
Mr Jones said while he "didn't want to point the finger at anyone", cyclists were at an obvious disadvantage.
It is dumb to point the finger at the government and generalise.
But both the Czechs and Scotland need the points to qualify so we have to take both games seriously so nobody can point the finger at us."
SORRY to point the finger at my own trade, but no soldier's life should be lost defending journalists on war's front line.
WHILE I feel desperately sorry for the mother of missing Kirkheaton teenager Kerrie White, I consider that it is unfair to point the finger at social services.
POLICE statements were allegedly altered in the wake of the Hillsborough disaster to point the finger of blame at Liverpool fans.
He said: "While I'm not going to point the finger and say the changes in the 1980s were wrong, we did not have any real sense of where this might go and what needed to happen."
ALL five suspects in Clare's attempted murder - Calvin, Louise, Max, OB and Warren - are released without charge, but then the devious schemer wakes from her coma and is quick to point the finger at Warren.
"England have some great headers of the ball, so why not ask them to man mark and point the finger at anyone who lets their man score?"
But he did point the finger at the official for "making a lot of mistakes the other way," culminating in denying Arjen Robben a clear-cut spot-kick in the closing minutes after he was fouled.
"I point the finger in their face and say, 'You helped this happen," he said on Robertson's television show, The 700 Club.