the buck [stop] (here|there)
1
used to say that someone has accepted the responsibility or blame for something and will not pass it to someone else
The idiom "the buck stops here" can be traced back to the game of poker, where a "buck" was a marker that indicated which player was the dealer. The phrase is often used in business and political contexts to indicate that a leader or manager is willing to take responsibility for the outcomes of their decisions and actions.
- As the CEO, the buck stops here with me - I'm ultimately responsible for the success or failure of the company.
- The team leader has to make a tough decision, and the buck stops there.
- Throughout his career, he has always taken the approach that the buck stops here - he takes responsibility for his own decisions and actions.
- When the crisis hit, the president knew that the buck stopped there with him - he had to take charge and make the tough decisions.