point the finger at
point the finger at (one)
To indicate that one is guilty of (doing) something; to blame or accuse one of (doing) something. She'll say that she doesn't blame anyone, but I know that, in her heart, she points the finger at me. Now, I'm not pointing the finger at anyone in particular, but someone here has been stealing food from the communal refrigerator.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
point the finger at someone
Fig. to blame someone; to identify someone as the guilty person. Don't point the finger at me! I didn't take the money. The manager refused to point the finger at anyone in particular and said that everyone was sometimes guilty of being late.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
point the finger at
Attach blame to, accuse, as in When they asked her who broke the window, she pointed the finger at Tom. Also see put the finger on.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
- point a/the finger
- point the finger
- point the finger at (one)
- point the finger at someone
- place the blame for (something) on (someone or something)
- place the blame on (someone or something) for (something)
- lay blame for (something)
- be left holding the baby
- put the blame on
- put the blame on (someone or something)