be left holding the baby

be left holding the baby

To be abandoned and burdened with the blame or responsibility of something; to be made to deal with something because no one else is willing to participate or be held accountable. The CEO vanished when the police started investigating our questionable investment activity, and I was left holding the baby! John and the boys decided to go to the bar when it came time to clean up after the party, so the other wives and I were left holding the baby.

See also: baby, holding, left

be left holding the baby

BRITISH

If you are left holding the baby, you are made responsible for a problem that nobody else wants to deal with. If anything goes wrong on this, Agnes, it's you and I who'll be left holding the baby. More often than he liked, Taylor was left holding the baby. Note: The usual American expression is be left holding the bag.

See also: baby, holding, left

be left holding the baby

be left with an unwelcome responsibility, often without warning.

A US variant of this expression is be left holding the bag .

See also: baby, holding, left