English idiom

the buck stops here

Register · Informal CEFR C1

Post

Figurative meaning

responsibility rests with the speaker, not to be passed on

Why this phrase?

'Buck' is a marker passed from player to player in poker, indicating whose turn it is; stopping it means refusing to pass the responsibility on.

Example

“I run this department, and the buck stops here.”

Recorded usage

These full forms were measured in COCA in 2016–2017. Counts apply to the quoted form, not every use of this idiom; overlapping forms are not added together.

“The buck stops here” — 72 recorded occurrences

Grouped source variants; editorially classified here as an idiom. Usage counts are separate from CEFR difficulty.

Dictionary details

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

pave the way

to make it easier for something else to happen or develop

face the music

To accept the unpleasant consequences of your actions.

foot the bill

To pay for something, especially something expensive.

it takes two to tango

both parties are responsible for a situation

off the hook

freed from blame, responsibility, or an unpleasant obligation

on one's hands

as one's responsibility or problem to deal with

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

External links

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