take the heat
Bear the criticism
To take the heat is to accept blame, criticism, or pressure that might otherwise fall on others.
The phrase evokes enduring uncomfortable scrutiny the way one endures physical heat: She took the heat for the team's failure.
Someone who takes the heat shields others from consequences, whether deserved or not.
- face the musicAccept deserved consequences
- endureSuffer through without yielding
- own upAcknowledge one's wrongdoing
- bear the bruntAbsorb primary impact
- under fireBeing attacked or criticized
grit · withstand · hot seat · fall guy · persevere · answer for · fortitude · weather the storm · step up · skin in the game · hold firm · catch hell · mental toughness · courage · emotional stability · backbone · pressure · bite the bullet
- accountabilityaccountability, responsibility, accountable, answerability, responsible
take the heatpass the buck
Transfer responsibility elsewhere
weasel out · make excuses · play dumb · run for cover · deflect
take the heatshift the blame
scapegoat · point fingers · point the finger · finger-pointing · name names
take, heat, mistake, heated, taken, taking, mistaken, heating, reheat