(~s)
If someone is the ~, they are blamed for something which they did not do or which is not their fault. (INFORMAL)
He claims he was made the ~ for the affair.
= scapegoat
N-COUNT
(~s)
If someone is the ~, they are blamed for something which they did not do or which is not their fault. (INFORMAL)
He claims he was made the ~ for the affair.
= scapegoat
N-COUNT
Collins COBUILD. Толковый словарь английского языка для изучающих язык Коллинз COBUILD (международная база данных языков Бирмингемского университета) . 2012