To blame someone for something:
Blame for the accident has been laid at the government’s door.
Cambridge dictionary
The English expression for “Iemand iets in de schoenen schuiven” is “to pin something on someone” or “to lay something at someone’s door.” It means falsely accusing someone or blaming them for something they didn’t do.
To pin something on someone
To blame someone for something, especially for something they did not do
Pin the blame on You can’t pin the blame on her – she wasn’t even there when the accident happened.
The key points of the phrase “Lay something at someone’s door” include:
- Blame: The primary meaning is to attribute blame or responsibility for something to someone.
- Accountability: It emphasizes holding someone accountable for a specific action or outcome.
- Direct Responsibility: The phrase often implies a direct or significant level of responsibility.
- Context of Use: Commonly used in situations involving fault, mistakes, or negative outcomes.
- Figurative Meaning: It is a figurative expression rather than a literal one, used to convey the act of blaming someone in a vivid way.
These points encapsulate the essence and usage of the idiom “lay something at someone’s door.