have a lot to answer for

have a lot to answer for

To be in a position to accept responsibility or be questioned or punished for having behaved poorly, unscrupulously, or recklessly. Now that he's been caught, the thief has a lot to answer for. The tech firm has a lot to answer for since their network has been found to have contributed to the breach.

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have a lot to answer for

COMMON If someone or something has a lot to answer for, they are responsible for something bad that has happened. My God, his mother's got a lot to answer for! She waited on him all her life. Every word of this conversation would be sent within minutes to her close friends — mobiles and e-mail have a lot to answer for.

See also: answer, have, lot