blame

1 /bleIm/ verb (T)

1 to say or think that someone or something is responsible for something bad: It's not fair to blame me - it's not my fault we lost. | blame sb/sth for: Mom blamed herself for Danny's problems. | The report blames poor safety standards for the accident. | blame sth on: Don't go trying to blame it on me! | be to blame (=be responsible for something bad): You're not to blame for what happened.

2 don't blame me spoken used when you are advising someone not to do something: Buy it then, but don't blame me when it breaks down.

3 I don't blame you/them 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."

4 only have yourself 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.

5 to criticize someone or something: blame sb/sth for: The documentary was blamed for its one-sided presentation of the strike.

2 noun (U) responsibilty for a mistake or for something bad (+ for): The government cannot escape blame for the state of the economy. | get the blame (=be blamed): I always get the blame for his mistakes! | take the blame (=say that something is your fault): You can't expect Terry to take all the blame. | put/lay the blame on (=say that something is someone else's fault): The other driver kept trying to put the blame on me.