pass the buck

Etymology:

• This is a 19th century American phrase. In poker game, buck was a kind of pocket knife which had a sharp handle. It was handed over to you, if you were the next broker or dealer in the game. Later the “buck” meant transferring your responsibilities to another person. In 1949, American president Harry Truman signed on the desk written “The buck stops here” that meant accepting personal responsibility for ones actions.