shoot the messenger

English

Alternative forms

• kill the messenger, shoot the messenger boy

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Verb

shoot the messenger (third-person singular simple present shoots the messenger, present participle shooting the messenger, simple past and past participle shot the messenger)

1. (idiomatic, sarcastic or humorous) To blame a problem on whoever reported it; to hold somebody accountable for a problem because they brought attention to it.

   I know you won't like this news, but please don't shoot the messenger.

Usage notes

• Chiefly used in the imperative: don't shoot the messenger.

Translations

to blame a problem on whoever reported it; to hold somebody accountable for a problem because they brought attention to it — see also don't shoot the messenger

• Finnish: ampua viestintuoja
• French: tuer le messager (fr), tirer sur le messager
• Polish: strzelać do posłańca impf