be left holding the baby
Stuck with consequences
To be left holding the baby is to be stuck with responsibility for something, especially after others have abandoned their share of the work or blame.
The phrase suggests being the last one standing when a problem needs handling, often unfairly.
When the project collapsed, the junior staff were left holding the baby while the executives moved on.
The variant *be left holding the bag* is more common in American English.
- desertionUnlawful abandonment of duty
- carry the canBear blame for others
- burdenOppressive weight or duty
- scapegoatingUnfairly assigning fault to innocents
- obligationRequired task or commitment
left high and dry · left in the lurch · hung out to dry · take the fall · thrown under the bus · take the rap · bear the brunt · shirking · face the music · patsy · abdication · betrayal · duty · irresponsibility · abandonment · predicament · pick up the pieces · dumping
be left holding the babypass the buck
Transfer responsibility elsewhere
wash one's hands of · palm off · off the hook · foist off · shift the blame
be left holding the babyvolunteer
Unpaid willing participant