Blame

Definition: Blame

Blame

Adjective

1. Expletives used informally as intensifiers; "he's a blasted idiot"; "it's a blamed shame"; "a blame cold winter"; "not a blessed dime"; "I'll be damned (or blessed or darned or goddamned) if I'll do any such thing"; "he's a damn (or goddam or goddamned) fool"; "a deuced idiot"; "tired or his everlasting whimpering"; "an infernal nuisance".

Noun

1. An accusation that you are responsible for some lapse or misdeed; "his incrimination was based on my testimony"; "the police laid the blame on on the driver".

2. A reproach for some lapse or misdeed; "he took the blame for it"; "it was a bum rap".

Verb

1. Put or pin the blame on.

2. Harass with constant criticism; "Don't always pick on your little brother".

3. Attribute responsibility to; "We blamed the accident on her"; "The tragedy was charged to her inexperience".

Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
 

Date "blame" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1050. (references)

Synonyms: Blame

Accusation

Charge with, saddle with; lay to one's door, lay charge; lay the blame on, bring home to; cast in one's teeth, throw in one's teeth; cast the first stone at.

Brand with reproach; stigmatize, slur; cast a stone at, cast a slur on; incriminate, criminate; inculpate, implicate; call to account; (censure); take to blame, take to task; put in the black book.

Attribution

Verb: attribute to, ascribe to, impute to, refer to, lay to, point to, trace to, bring home to; put down to, set down to, blame; charge on, ground on; invest with, assign as cause, lay at, the door of, father upon; account for, derive from, point out the reason; theorize; tell how it comes; put the saddle on the right horse.

Disapprobation

Take blame, stand corrected; have to answer for.

Incur blame, excite disapprobation, scandalize, shock, revolt; get a bad name, forfeit one's good opinion, be under a cloud, come under the ferule, bring a hornet's nest about one's ears.

Dispraise, discommendation; blame, censure, obloquy; detraction; disparagement, depreciation; denunciation; condemnation; ostracism; black list.

Blameworthy, reprehensible; (guilt); to blame, worthy of blame; answerable, uncommendable, exceptionable, not to be thought of; bad; vicious.

Blame; lay blame upon, cast blame upon; censure, fronder, reproach, pass censure on, reprobate, impugn.

Guilt

Adjective: guilty, to blame, culpable, peccable, in fault, at fault, censurable, reprehensible, blameworthy, uncommendable, illaudable; weighed in the balance and found wanting; exceptionable.

Crosswords: Blame

You can't blame me. They've been making statues for some two thousand years, and I've only been collecting for five (Citizen Kane; writing credit: Herman J. Mankiewicz and Orson Welles)

Sid, don't you blame the movies (Scream; writing credit: Kevin Williamson)

I don't blame people for their mistakes, but I do ask that they pay for them (Jurassic Park; writing credit: Michael Crichton)

Since no one is to blame, I-- I demand no explanation (Casablanca; writing credit: Murray Burnett; Joan Alison)

If you lose this war don't blame me. (The General; writing credit: Al Boasberg; Clyde Bruckman)

No one, no one, no one ever is to blame (NO ONE IS TO BLAME; performing artist: Howard Jones)

You tryna blame me when I don't even know the reason (We Need A Resolution; performing artist: Aaliyah)

Tell me who's to blame for thinkin' twice (What It Takes; performing artist: Aerosmith)

And who could blame us (And Our Feelings; performing artist: Babyface; writing credit: Babyface, Daryl Simmons)

We realized we're both to blame, but what could we do (One Week; performing artist: Barenaked Ladies)

Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft (references; author: unknown)

If you step in a puddle, don't blame the puddle. (references; author: unknown)

He who smiles in a crisis has found someone to blame. (references; author: unknown)

To err is human, to blame it on someone else is more human. (references; author: unknown)

I don't blame Congress. If I had $600 billion, I'd be irresponsible too. (references; author: unknown)

Don't Blame Us! (1974)

Blame It on the Samba (1948)

Taking the Blame (1935)

Don't Blame Your Children (1922)

Could You Blame Her (1914)

No One Is To Blame (performing artist: Howard Jones)

Blame It On The Rain (performing artist: Milli Vanilli)

Bang And Blame (performing artist: R.E.M.)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Books

• The story of the century : "Jews absolved from blame of Jesus Christ's death" (reference)

• AIDS and Accusation: Haiti and the Geography of Blame (Comparative Studies of Health Systems and Medical Care, No 33) (reference)

• If in Doubt, Blame the Aliens!: A New Scientific Analysis of Ufo Sightings, Alleged Alien Abductions, Animal Mutilations and Crop Circles (reference)

• Blame It on Eve: A Novel (reference)

• Blame It on the Brain?: Distinguishing Chemical Imbalances, Brain Disorders, and Disobedience (Resources for Changing Lives) (reference)

  (more book examples)

Theater & Movies

• Blame It On Rio (reference)

• Ozzy Osbourne - Don't Blame Me (reference)

• The Blame Game - Are We a Country of Victims? (ABC News) (reference)

• Blame It on the Macarena (reference)

  (more DVD examples; more video examples)

Music

• Blame It on Me (reference)

• Blame It on My Youth (reference)

• You Cant Blame a Girl for Trying (reference)

  (more classical music examples; more popular music examples)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

I'm not to blame for being white, sir!. Credit: Library of Congress.

Don't blame it all on Bill --. Credit: Library of Congress.

Can't say we blame 'em. Credit: Library of Congress.

Do you blame me for not wanting an extra session of this!. Credit: Library of Congress.

Who's to blame, schools or parents?. Credit: Library of Congress.

Don't blame it all on Uncle Sam --. Credit: Library of Congress.

Where the blame lies / Hamilton. Credit: Library of Congress.

Don't blame it all on the war!. Credit: Library of Congress.

Scapegoat : a person, group, or thing that bears the blame for the mistakes or crimes of others. Credit: Library of Congress.

Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

I do not blame the law, but I bless God.

Alas, I blame you not, for you are mortal, And mortal eyes cannot endure the devil

The man will choke and try to put the blame on Mae.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Health

Parents frequently blame themselves and their physicians for delays in diagnosis. (references)

Young people with this type of cancer generally complain of pain and swelling, which they sometimes blame on an injury. (references)

Business

Low, subsidized water rates are to blame. (references)

Many insiders blame the State's lack of vision and anemic financial support for the current state of affairs. (references)

When the financial crisis struck during the campaign period for Korea’s next president, it was the Kim Young Sam government that received much of the blame for the government’s inability to control the nation’s foreign reserves. (references)

Civil Liberties

Tanzania

Christian leaders agree that the Muslim student population in institutions of higher learning is disproportionately low; however, they blame this condition on historical circumstances rather than discrimination. (references)

Economic History

Nepal

An overworked and inefficient banking system is to blame. (references)

Nigeria

Industry watchers blame the widespread reluctance of individuals and corporate organizations to embrace e-commerce to the very lack of reliable and robust credit system. (references)

Human Rights

Portugal

Cardosa's family continued to blame the death on police mistreatment. (references)

Kenya

A subsequent public inquest into Kiogora's death was held, and the court ruled that no one was to blame for the death. (references)

Burundi

The Government continued to blame the rebels for the attack; rebels accused the armed forces of committing the killings. (references)

Minorities

Zimbabwe

Racial tensions have subsided since independence and remain low despite the Government's ongoing attempts to blame whites for the country's economic and political problems. (references)

Political Economy

SWITZERLAND

The SNB carefully watches for signs of upward pressure on the franc (the overvalued franc was partly to blame for the economic stagnation of the early/mid 1990s). The SNB has shown its willingness to follow an accommodating money supply policy, even to exceed its money supply growth targets when necessary, to minimize upward pressure on the franc. (references)

Women

Belarus

A law against rape exists; however, most women do not report rape due to shame or fear that the police will blame the victim. (references)

Worker Rights

Lithuania

However, the customs and border guards are believed to be very corrupt, and human right groups blame them for neglecting the fight against trafficking. (references)

Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Expressions using "blame": attach blame ♦ be to blame ♦ be to blame for ♦ bear the blame ♦ beyond all blame ♦ blame assignment ♦ blame on ♦ blame oneself ♦ blame smb. ♦ both blame collision clause ♦ both to blame clause ♦ cast the blame ♦ cast the blame on ♦ clear from the blame ♦ exempt smb. from blame ♦ fasten a blame upon smb. ♦ lay blame on ♦ lay the blame ♦ lay the blame at one's door ♦ lay the blame on ♦ lay the blame on smb. ♦ lay up blame ♦ not by a blame sight ♦ put the blame on ♦ put the blame on smb. ♦ saddle smb. with the blame ♦ share of the blame ♦ shift blame ♦ shift blame on ♦ take the blame ♦ take the blame for smth. ♦ throw the blame on ♦ to blame ♦ without blame. Additional references.

Beginning with "blame": blame-shedding, blame-shifting, blame-they, blame-worthiness.

Ending with "blame": self-blame.

Afrikaans

berispe (rebuke, reproach, reprove, scold), beknor (rebuke, reproach, reprove, scold). (various references)

Albanian

fajësoj (accuse, convict, impute the fault to another, incriminate, inculpate, rap), faj (buck, crime, delinquency, fault, guilt, guiltiness, wrong). (various references)

Arabic 

‏ملامة, ‏مسؤولية خطأ, ‏لوم (admonition, censure, lambaste, railing, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, reproof, twit, upbraid), ‏لام (admonish, censure, fault, reprehend, reproach, twit), ‏وبخ (berate, carpet, castigate, check, chide, dish up, dress down, jaw, lash, moralize, quarrel, rail, raspberry, rebuff, rebuke, reprehend, reproach, reprove, scold, scotch, show up, slag, slate, snub, strafe, take to task, take up, task, tell off, tick off, tickle, upbraid), ‏تهمة (accusation, charge, frame, frame up, guilt, imputation, indictment, suspicion), ‏إعتبره مسؤول. (various references)

Bulgarian 

упрек (objurgation, reproach), виня, вина (criminality, delinquency, fault, guilt, rap), осъждам (adjudge, be naughty, condemn, convict, damn, denounce, deplore, doom, rap, reprehend, sentence), отговорност (accountability, amenability, care, charge, job, liability, look out, responsibility, trust), порицавам (anathematize, censure, criminate, decry, lash, rebuke, reprehend, reprimand, reproach, reprobate, reprove, upbraid, wig). (various references)

Catalan

culpa (fault, guilt). (various references)

Chinese 

非難 (reproof), 責怪 , 責任 (duty, responsibility), 責備 (be critical of), 责备 (Blamed, Blaming, Censure, Censured, Censuring, reproach, Reproached, Reproaching), 罪 (crime, fault, guilt, sin), 怨 (complain), 斥 (reprimand, reprove), 歸咎 (declare to be at fault), 咎 . (various references)

Czech

vinit (accuse), vina (fault, guilt), svalovat vinu, obviòovat, obviòování (accusation), dávat vinu. (various references)

Danish

skyld (fault, guilt). (various references)

Dutch

toedichten (accredit, hold against), aanrekenen (hold against). (various references)

Esperanto

riproĉi (rebuke, reproach, reprove, scold), kulpo (fault, guilt), kulpigi (accuse), imputi (hold against). (various references)

Faeroese

brigsla (hold against), skuldseta (hold against), seta inn (hold against), geva í part (hold against). (various references)

Farsi 

ملامت کردن (Calldown, Rebuke, Reprove, Upbraid), مقصردانستن , لکه دارکردن (Blemish, Brand, Denigrate, Foul, Smear, Soil, Speck, Stain, Stigmatize, Sully, Taint, Tarnish), گناه (Crime, Guilt, Misdeed, Misdemeanor, Sin, Transgression, Vice), گله کردن (Carp, Gripe, Grumble), سرزنش کردن (Berate, Calldown, Censure, Check, Chide, Haze, Rant, Reprehend, Reprimand, Reprove, Scold, Snub, Taunt, Trounce, Twit, Upbraid, Wig), سرزنش (Censure, Demerit, Obloquy, Rail, Remonstrance, Reproach, Reproof, Sarcasm, Snub, Twit, Vituperation), عیب جوءی کردن از (Reproach), انتقادکردن (Criticize, Review), اشتباه (Erroneous, Error, Fumble, Gaingiving, Goof, Inaccuracy, Mistake, Slip, Snafu, Wrong). (various references)

Finnish

moittia (criticize, find fault with, rebuke, reproach, reprove, scold). (various references)

French

reprocher, gronder. (various references)

Frisian

beskuldigje (accuse), skuld (debt, fault, guilt), ferwite (rebuke, reproach, reprove, scold). (various references)

German

vorwürfe machen (rebuke, reproach, reprove, scold, upbraid), tadel (animadversion, animadversions, black mark, blemish, censure, criticism, demerit, disapproval, impeachment, objurgation, observation, rebuke, remark, reprimand, reproach, reproof, taint), schuld (debt, fault, guilt, guiltiness, liability, responsible, sin, trespasses, wrong), beschuldigen (accuse, charge, impeach, incriminate, inculpate, indict, to accuse, to blame, to incriminate). (various references)

Greek 

κατηγορώ (accuse, allege, arraign, blam, charge, charge somebody with, charge with, decry, impeachment, impute, inculpate, indict, reproach), κατακρίνω (censure, deprecate, reproach, reprobate, reprove), μομφή (animadversion, censure, reproach, reproof, slur, stricture), ενοχή (criminality, culpability, culpableness, guilt, guiltiness, implication), ευθύνη (accountability, liability, liableness, responsibility). (various references)

Hawaiian

fajësoj (accuse), faj (fault, guilt). (various references)

Hebrew 

להאשים (accuse, charge, impute, take to task, tax), לדון לכף חובה (accuse, condemn), חובה (duty, guilt, must, obligation), אשמה (accusation, charge, fault, guilt, guiltiness), אשם (accused, blameworthy, culpable, fault, guilt, guilty, offence, sin, trespass). (various references)

Hungarian

szemrehányás (expostulation, opprobrium, reproach, tax). (various references)

Icelandic

átelja (rebuke, reproach, reprove, scold). (various references)

Indonesian

tempelak (reproach), menyalahkan (arraign), menimpakan (cause something to fall upon), mencela (carp, condemn, decry, denounce, disapprove, disapprove of, knock, taunt). (various references)

Italian

riprendere (begin again, catch again, get back, rebuke, recover, recrudesce, regain, renew, reopen, reprehend, reproach, reprove, resume, scold, shoot, start again, tell off), colpa (blot, debt, error, fault, guilt, guiltiness, negligence, sin, wrong), biasimo (animadversion, bl, censure, condemnation, me, rebuke, reference, reflection, reflexion, reprimand, reproof). (various references)

Japanese Kanji 

糾弾. (various references)

Japanese Katakana 

きゅうだん (baseball team), しだん (attack, criticism, disdain, division, historical story, poetic circles, rejection, world of poetry), ひなん (attack, criticism, finding shelter, taking refuge), せめ (attack, offence, persecution, responsibility), もんせき (censure, rebuke, reprimand, reproof), とがめ (censure, rebuke, reproof), てんか (addition, annexing, change, changing one's academic course, corruption, descent from heaven, fire caused by lightning, having one's own way, ignition, imputation, inversion, lighting, remarriage, second marriage, set fire to, snow, the public, the ruling power, the world, transformation, whole country). (various references)

Korean 

비난 (Accusation, Blaming, Condemning, Damning, Faulting, Reproaching). (various references)

Manx

foill (defect, fault, flaw, foible, imperfection, vice), foiljaghey (fault-find), cur foill er. (various references)

Norwegian

bebreide (rebuke, reproach, reprove, scold), klandre. (various references)

Papiamen

reprochá (rebuke, reproach, reprove, scold), kulpa (accuse, fault, guilt). (various references)

Pig Latin

ameblay.(various references)

Polish

przewinienie (fault, guilt). (various references)

Portuguese

culpar (accuse, arraign, condemn, incriminate, indict, pin on), culpa (fault, frailty, guilt, malpractice, offence, offense). (various references)

Romanian

blama (censure, condemn, dispraise, reprehend), blam (reproach, slur), bãnat (anger, annoyance, sorrow, spite, suspicion, trouble), vinã (aberration, cause, charge, default, fault, guilt, lode, onus), reproş (censure, quarrel, reproach, reproof, slur, upbraiding), ponos (damage, defect, drawback, hint, trouble), osândi (convict, damn, doom, punish, sentence), ocãrî (abuse, call down, censure, curse, insult, rail, reproach, revile, upbraid, vituperate), imputare (imputation, reproach, reproof, twit), dojeni (chide, correct, rebuke, remonstrate, reprehend, reprimand, reprove, scold, snub, taunt, trim, twit, upbraid, wig), condamnare (adjudgement, adjudgment, adjudication, censure, condemnation, conviction, denunciation, reproof), condamna (adjudge, ban, censure, condemn, convict, crime, decry, deprecate, fine, judge, reprobate, reprove, sentence, vituperate), certa (abuse, altercate, berate, brawl, censure, chide, rag, rebuke, reprehend, reprove, row, scold, squabble, taunt), învinuire (accusation, accusing). (various references)

Russian 

вина (fault, guilt), обвинять вина, обвинение (accusal, accusation, accusativeness, action, charge, delation, denouncement, denunciation, impeachment, inculpation), порицание (animadversion, censure, decrial, dispraise, reflection, reflexion, reprehension, reprobation), пенять (reproachful). (various references)

Scottish

spreig (chide, enforce, instigate, prompt), iomchoire, cronaich (rebuke, reprove), cron (defect, evil, fault, harm, mischief), coire (a cauldron, boiler, cauldron, fault, guilt, harm, kettle, kettle; corrie, pot). (various references)

Serbo-Croatian

optuživati (charge), optuživanje (impeachment), okriviti (accuse, charge, impeach, incriminate, inculpate), krivica (culpability, fault, guilt, guiltiness). (various references)

Spanish

culpa (fault, guilt, onus), reprender (censure, chide, dress down, objurgate, rebuke, reprehend, reprimand, reproach, reprove, scold, take to task), valorar en (hold against), reprobar (animadvert, condemn, disapprove, disapprove of, lash out, rebuke, reproach, reprobate, reprove, scold). (various references)

Swedish

tadel, skylla på (accuse of), skuld (culpability, debt, due, fault, guile, guilt, indebtedness, score), klandra (animadvert upon, arraign, chide, criticize, disfavor, disfavour, fault, reprehend, take exception at), klander (aspersion, censure, reprehension, reprobation), förebrå (rebuke, reproach, reprove, scold, upbraid). (various references)

Thai

ตัดสินว่ามีความผิด (fix the blame on, fix the crime on). (various references)

Turkish

suçlamak (accuse, arraign, bring an accusation against smb., censure, charge, charge smb. with smth., chastise, condemn, criminate, excoriate, impeach, impute, incriminate, inculpate, indict, put in the dock, put the blame on smb., reproach, task, tax), suçlama (accusal, accusation, accusing, arraignment, blaming, censure, charge, complaint, condemnation, crimination, denunciation, excoriation, impeachment, incrimination, inculpation, indictment, plaint, rap, reproach), suç (caper, crime, criminality, culpability, delict, delinquency, error, fault, felony, guilt, irregularity, job, misdeed, misdemeanor, misdemeanour, offence, offense, rap, sin, transgression, wrong), sorumluluk (accountability, baby, buck, burden, charge, control, custody, encumbrance, engagement, liability, load, office, onus, pidgin, place, responsibility, trust), sorumlu tutmak (charge, hold responsible, put the blame on smb.), kusur (blemish, cavil, culpability, defalcation, default, defect, deficiency, demerit, failing, failure, fault, flaw, freckle, gaff, imperfection, inaccuracy, infirmity, remissness, scar, shortcoming, stigma, taint, vice), kabahat (delinquency, demerit, fault, guilt, sin, wrongdoing), kınamak (cast reflection on smb., castigate, censure, condemn, decry, denounce, disapprove, fault, remonstrate, reprimand, reproach, reprobate, reprove, slate, stigmatize, strafe), kınama (animadversion, castigation, censure, condemnation, criticism, denouncement, denunciation, disapprobation, disapproval, reprehension, reprimand, reproach, reproof, reproval, strafing, strictures), azarlamak (admonish, baste, bawl out, berate, blister, blow up, bring up, call down, call smb. over the coals, carpet, castigate, chew out, chide, come down on, decry, dress down, give a piece of one's mind, give smb. a talking-to, give smb. a telling-off, give smb. beans, give smb. hell, give the stick, inveigh, jaw out, keelhaul, lace into, lambaste, lash, lecture, let smb. have it, light into, objurgate, peck at smb., punish, rag, rail, rap smb. over the knuckles, rate, rebuke, reprehend, reprimand, reproach, reprove, roast, sail into, scold, score, slang, slap, slate, strafe, take to task, talk to smb., tell off, tell smb. one's mind, tick off, trim, twit, upbraid, vituperate), ayıplamak (cast reflection on smb., chide, condemn, dispraise, fault, reflect on, reflect upon, reproach, reprobate, reprove), ayıplama (condemnation, disapproval, dispraise, reflection, reflexion, reprobation, reproof, reproval). (various references)

Turkmen 

mьяnli (at fault, guilty), gьnдkдrlemek, aяyplamak. (various references)

Ukrainian

гудити (censure, condemn, decry, reprobate, toot, worsen), відповідальність (accountability, amenability, answerableness, liability, onus, responsibility, trust), звинувачувати, провина (defalcation, delinquency, error, misbehavior, misbehaviour, misconduct, offence, offense, peccancy, shortcoming, sin, transgression, wickedness, wrong doing), догана (bobbing, castigation, dressing down, objurgation, rebuke, reprehension, reprimand, reprobation, reproof, reproval, rowing, schooling, setdown, snub, telling). (various references)

Vietnamese 

trách nhiệm (accountability, incumbency, onus), sự khiển trách (admonishment, admonition, animadversion, dispraise, rebuke, reprehension, rowing), lời trách mắng lỗi. (various references)

Welsh

beio (censure), bai (blemish, defect, fault, vice), camgwl (fine, penalty). (various references)

Yucatec

kuch (burden, charge, fault, guilt, load). (various references)

culpa. (various references)

blasphemare. (various references)

blasmer, reter. (various references)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Derivations

Words beginning with "blame": blamed, blameful, blamefully, blameless, blamelessly, blamelessness, blamelessnesses, blamer, blamers, blames, blameworthiness, blameworthinesses, blameworthy. (additional references)

Words containing "blame": unblamed. (additional references)

Misspellings

"Blame" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: alame, balem, balim, Balma, Balme, balmi, Balne, bama, bame, bami, bamo, baume, belame, belane, Beljame, Bhamo, Biame, blace, Blaeu, blage, blaim, blake, blam, blamen, Blameth, blamey, blammer, Blammo, blane, blani, blape, blasme, blasmer, blave, Blavey, blaxe, blaye, bleni, blesmag, blim, blime, Blimy, bline, Bloem, blome, blomet, blone, blume, blyme, bolume, Brame, Byamee, Obame. (additional references)

Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits.

Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams

Direct Anagrams: amble.

-1 letter: able, alme, bale, balm, beam, bema, blae, blam, lamb, lame, mabe, male, meal.

-2 letters: alb, ale, bal, bam, bel, elm, lab, lam, lea, mae, mel.

-3 letters: ab, ae, al, am, ba, be, el, em, la, ma, me.

+1 letter: ambled, ambler, ambles, becalm, bedlam, beldam, blamed, blamer, blames, embalm, flambe, gamble, lambed, lamber, lambie, marble, ramble, wamble.

+2 letters: albumen, alembic, amblers, amiable, balmier, beamily, becalms, bedlamp, bedlams, beldame, beldams, bellman, bimetal, blamers, bramble, cembali, cembalo, clamber, embalms, emblaze, flambee, flambes, gambled, gambler, gambles, gambrel, imblaze, lambent, lambers, lambert, lambier, lambies, limbate, makable, marbled, marbler, marbles, minable, mixable, movable, mutable, namable, rambled, rambler, rambles, shamble, tamable, timbale, wambled, wambles.