/ rɪˈspɒnsəbl; NAmE -ˈspɑːn-/ adjective
HAVING JOB / DUTY
1.
responsible (for sb/sth) | responsible (for doing sth) having the job or duty of doing sth or taking care of sb/sth, so that you may be blamed if sth goes wrong :
Mike is responsible for designing the entire project.
Even where parents no longer live together, they each continue to be responsible for their children.
CAUSING STH
2.
responsible (for sth) being able to be blamed for sth :
Who's responsible for this mess?
Everything will be done to bring those responsible to justice.
He is mentally ill and cannot be held responsible for his actions.
3.
responsible (for sth) being the cause of sth :
Cigarette smoking is responsible for about 90% of deaths from lung cancer.
TO SB IN AUTHORITY
4.
responsible to sb/sth to have to report to sb/sth with authority or in a higher position and explain to them what you have done :
The Council of Ministers is responsible to the Assembly.
RELIABLE
5.
( of people or their actions or behaviour ) that you can trust and rely on
SYN conscientious :
Clare has a mature and responsible attitude to work.
OPP irresponsible
JOB
6.
[ usually before noun ] needing sb who can be trusted and relied on; involving important duties :
a responsible job / position
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WORD ORIGIN
late 16th cent. (in the sense answering to, corresponding ): from obsolete French responsible , from Latin respons- answered, offered in return, from the verb respondere , from re- again + spondere to pledge.