lay something at the feet of

verb

To assign responsibility for (something) to (someone).

Similar
lay something at the door of
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Meanings

verblay something at the feet of (third-person singular simple present lays something at the feet of, present participle laying something at the feet of, simple past and past participle laid something at the feet of)

present singular third person lays something at the feet of · participle present laying something at the feet of · participle past laid something at the feet of · past laid something at the feet of

  1. idiomatictransitiveTo assign responsibility for (something) to (someone).

    How much of our current agricultural policy can we lay at the feet of the Iowa caucuses?

    2009 Mar/Apr, Clara Jeffery, “Michael Pollan fixes dinner”, in Mother Jones, volume 34, number 2, page 32
    1 more example

    He did not lay the blame at the feet of the territory government, but rather conservative politicians that might have had a hand in convincing the federal government, and through it, the authority, to put a stop to the mooted trial.

    2018, 'Disappointed': Too late for off-site pill testing at Spilt Milk, The Canberra Times

    Synonyms: lay something at the door of

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo assign responsibility for (something) to (someone).

Similar
lay something at the door of
Also see
accuseblamedefameinculpatelay something at the door oftwit

Translations

Catalan responsabilitzar, endossar
  • responsabilitzarto assign responsibility for (something) to (someone)
  • endossarto assign responsibility for (something) to (someone)
  • carregar el mortto assign responsibility for (something) to (someone)
Chinese Mandarin 將責任交給某人 /将责任交给某人
  • 將責任交給某人 /将责任交给某人 (jiāng zérèn jiāo gěi mǒurén)to assign responsibility for (something) to (someone)
Finnish kiittää
  • kiittääto assign responsibility for (something) to (someone)
French accuser de (quelqu'un)
  • accuser de (quelqu'un)to assign responsibility for (something) to (someone)
German in die Schuhe schieben
  • in die Schuhe schiebento assign responsibility for (something) to (someone)
Polish przydzielać odpowiedzialność, przydzielić odpowiedzialność
  • przydzielać odpowiedzialnośćto assign responsibility for (something) to (someone)
  • przydzielić odpowiedzialnośćto assign responsibility for (something) to (someone)
Portuguese responsabilizar
  • responsabilizarto assign responsibility for (something) to (someone)
Russian возложи́ть отве́тственность
  • возложи́ть отве́тственность (vozložítʹ otvétstvennostʹ)to assign responsibility for (something) to (someone)
Spanish responsabilizar
  • responsabilizarto assign responsibility for (something) to (someone)
Cite this entry
APA

lay something at the feet of. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lay%20something%20at%20the%20feet%20of

MLA

“lay something at the feet of.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lay%20something%20at%20the%20feet%20of. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “lay something at the feet of,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lay%20something%20at%20the%20feet%20of.

Source: lay something at the feet of on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.