messenger
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blame the messenger
To get angry at or punish someone who is simply delivering bad or undesirable news, though they are not responsible for it. Used most commonly in the phrase "don't blame the messenger." I'm a news anchor—it is my job to report the news, even the bad stuff. But some people want to blame the messenger, as if I were the one who caused the bad news to begin with. A: "What do you mean I'm being sued by my ex-wife? I'll knock your lights out!" B: "Hey, I'm just here to deliver the subpoena. Don't blame the messenger!" Hey, don't blame the messenger! I just happened to overhear some of the teachers talking, and I thought you guys would like to know that you're getting a pop quiz in History today.
don't blame the messenger
Don't get angry at or punish someone who is simply delivering bad or undesirable news for which they are not responsible. A: "What do you mean I'm being sued by my ex-wife? I'll knock your lights out!" B: "Hey man, I'm just doing my job. Don't blame the messenger!" Hey, don't blame the messenger! I just happened to overhear some of the teachers talking, and I thought you guys would like to know that you're getting a pop quiz in History today. I'm a news anchor—it is my job to report the news, so don't blame the messenger. I didn't cause the bad things to happen!
don't kill the messenger
Don't get angry at or punish someone who is simply delivering bad or undesirable news as they are not responsible for it. A: "What do you mean I'm being sued by my ex-wife? I'll knock your lights out!" B: "Hey man, I'm just doing my job. Don't kill the messenger!" Hey, don't kill the messenger! I just happened to overhear some of the teachers talking, and I thought you guys would like to know that you're getting a pop quiz in History today. I'm a news anchor—it is my job to report the news, so don't kill the messenger. I didn't cause the bad things to happen!
don't shoot the messenger
Don't get angry at or punish someone who is simply delivering bad or undesirable news as they are not responsible for it. A: "What do you mean I'm being sued by my ex-wife? I'll knock your lights out!" B: "Hey man, I'm just doing my job. Don't shoot the messenger!" A: "What do you mean I'm being sued by my ex-wife? I'll knock your lights out!" B: "Hey, I'm just here to deliver the subpoena. Don't shoot the messenger!" Hey, don't shoot the messenger! I just happened to overhear some of the teachers talking, and I thought you guys would like to know that you're getting a pop quiz in History today.
kill the messenger
To get angry at or punish someone who is simply delivering bad or undesirable news, though they are not responsible for it. Used most commonly in the phrase "don't kill the messenger." I'm a news anchor—it is my job to report the news, even the bad stuff. But some people want to kill the messenger, as if I were the one who caused the bad news to begin with. A: "What do you mean I'm being sued by my ex-wife? I'll knock your lights out!" B: "Hey, I'm just here to deliver the subpoena. Don't kill the messenger!"
shoot the messenger
To get angry at or punish someone who is simply delivering bad or undesirable news, though they are not responsible for it. Used most commonly in the phrase "don't shoot the messenger." I'm a news anchor—it is my job to report the news, even the bad stuff. But some people want to shoot the messenger, as if I were the one who caused the bad news to begin with. A: "What do you mean I'm being sued by my ex-wife? I'll knock your lights out!" B: "Hey, I'm just here to deliver the subpoena. Don't shoot the messenger!"
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
shoot the messenger
If someone shoots the messenger, they blame a person who has told them bad news or information instead of blaming the person who is responsible for the situation. In blaming the polling organisation for his party's failure, Sir Malcolm is shooting the messenger.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
shoot (or kill) the messenger
treat the bearer of bad news as if they were to blame for it.Being the bearer of bad tidings has been a traditionally thankless task, as indicated in Sophocles' Antigone, ‘No man loves the messenger of ill’ and Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra, ‘The nature of bad news infects the teller’.
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
shoot the ˈmessenger
blame the person who gives the news that something bad has happened, instead of the person who is really responsible: ‘You look awesome! But...’‘But what?’‘Well, don’t shoot the messenger here but those pants make you look a little... large.’Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
- Let every man skin his own skunk.
- fall into (someone's or something's) hands
- fall into someone's hands
- fall into the wrong hands
- leave (someone, something, or oneself) (wide) open to (something)
- leave open
- leave yourself wide open to something
- baby elephant in the room
- (someone) (just) doesn't know when to quit
- dealt