v. & n.
--v.tr.
1. assign fault or responsibility to.
2 (foll. by on) assign the responsibility for (an error or wrong) to a person etc. (blamed his death on a poor diet).
--n.
1. responsibility for a bad result; culpability (shared the blame equally; put the blame on the bad weather).
2 the act of blaming or attributing responsibility; censure (she got all the blame).
Phrases and idioms:
be to blame (often foll. by for) be responsible; deserve censure (she is not to blame for the accident). have only oneself to blame be solely responsible (for something one suffers). I don't blame you etc. I think your etc. action was justifiable.
Derivatives:
blameable adj.
Etymology: ME f. OF bla(s)mer (v.), blame (n.) f. pop.L blastemare f. eccl.L blasphemare reproach f. Gk blasphemeo blaspheme