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take the heat. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
take the heat, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
take the heat in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
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English
Verb
take the heat (third-person singular simple present takes the heat, present participle taking the heat, simple past took the heat, past participle taken the heat)
- (informal) To take the blame; to be the focus of anger or scrutiny; to take the consequences.
If this decision turns out to be a bad one, I'll take the heat for it.
2020 September 23, Nigel Harris, “Comment: We MUST seize the moment”, in Rail, page 3:For entirely self-serving reasons, ministers and civil servants never dispelled the public belief that uncaring 'fat cat' privateers or foreign state railways were in control, ramping up fares and creaming off profits which either enriched shareholders or subsidised European rail fares. DfT left train operators to 'take the heat' - which they dutifully did, fearful of speaking up and 'biting the hand that feeds'.
See also