shoot the messenger en · VERB
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Meanings
-
(humorous, idiomatic, sarcastic) To blame a problem on whoever reported it; to hold somebody accountable for a problem because they brought attention to it.
I know you won't like this news, but please don't shoot the messenger.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| shooting the messenger | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| shoots the messenger | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| shoot the messenger boy | alternative | lexicographic | |
| kill the messenger | alternative | lexicographic | |
| shot the messenger | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| shot the messenger | Tense=Past | lexicographic |
Translations (4)
pl strzelać do posłańca (to blame a problem on whoever reported it; to hold somebody accountable for a problem because they brought attention to it — see also don't shoot the messenger) · fi ampua viestintuoja (to blame a problem on whoever reported it; to hold somebody accountable for a problem because they brought attention to it — see also don't shoot the messenger) · fr tirer sur le messager (to blame a problem on whoever reported it; to hold somebody accountable for a problem because they brought attention to it — see also don't shoot the messenger) · fr tuer le messager (to blame a problem on whoever reported it; to hold somebody accountable for a problem because they brought attention to it — see also don't shoot the messenger)