Question

Leave Someone Holding the Bag to force someone to take the blame when it should be shared

Accepted Answer

When the teacher demanded to know who wrote the joke on the blackboard, Diego was left holding the bag. This expression was known by many Americans in the 1780s. It might have come from a mean trick boys played on a new boy in town. They'd take him to the woods at night, give him a lantern and a bag, and tell him to wait for a bird that, attracted by the light, would fly into the bag. The rest of the boys would return home, knowing no bird would appear.

Idiom	Leave Someone Holding the Bag
Example	When the teacher demanded to know who wrote the joke on the blackboard, Diego was left holding the bag.
Meaning	to force someone to take the blame when it should be shared
Origin	This expression was known by many Americans in the 1780s. It might have come from a mean trick boys played on a new boy in town. They'd take him to the woods at night, give him a lantern and a bag, and tell him to wait for a bird that, attracted by the light, would fly into the bag. The rest of the boys would return home, knowing no bird would appear.

Holding Bag Boys Bird Leave Teacher Demanded Wrote