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Lay at Someone's Door

What Does "Lay at Someone's Door" Mean?

homeidiomsLay at Someone's Door
"Lay at someone's door" is an English idiom. It means "to hold someone responsible for a particular problem or issue."

Examples in Sentences

Here are three examples of the idiom "lay at someone's door" used in a sentence:
  • The blame for this disaster is laid at the CEO's door.
  • He tried to lay the failure of the project at my door.
  • Many lay the economic downturn at the government's door.
meaning for lay at someone's door

What Is an Idiom?

An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "Lay at Someone's Door" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.

An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.

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