idiom · neutral
left holding the bag
UK/left ˈhəʊldɪŋ ðə bæg/US/left ˈhoʊldɪŋ ðə bæɡ/LEFT·HOLD·ing·the·BAG
to be left responsible (often unfairly) for a problem, debt, or blame when others abandon the situation
Examples
“When the business partner fled, she was left holding the bag for the loans.”
“He didn't commit the fraud, yet he was left holding the bag when regulators investigated.”
“We were promised support, but in the end the small firms were left holding the bag.”
Band 8 sentence
“When the contract collapsed and the senior partners vanished, the junior managers were left holding the bag for months.”
Collocations
- be left holding the bag for debts
- be left holding the bag after the scandal
Word family
Common mistakes
They left me holding the bag of the debt.→They left me holding the bag for the debt.
She was left holding bag.→She was left holding the bag.
Say it for a higher band
5be blamed→6be stuck with the bill→7+be left holding the bag
Synonyms
take the blame
Easily confused
take the rap
“After the project failed, he had to take the rap.”
Related words
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