Blame

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /bleɪm/

Definitions

1. To hold someone responsible for a fault or wrong
2. To assign responsibility for a mistake or undesirable situation to an individual while considering them accountable for the resulting consequences
3. To say or consider someone at fault for a problem or mistake

Etymology: The verb "blame" is a near-twin of "blaspheme", and the two share a Greek ancestor. Ancient Greek "blasphēmeîn" meant to speak evil of someone or to revile, and it passed through Late Latin "blasphēmāre", meaning to reproach or revile. Old French then shortened this into "blasmer", and English borrowed it in the Middle Ages. The two English words are doublets: they came into the language by different routes from the same Greek source, which is why one now means religious profanity and the other means assigning fault. English already had a native way to say this. Old English used "tǣlan" and "tǣling" for blaming and blame, and Middle English "witen", meaning to accuse or reproach, was also in use. The borrowed French-derived forms gradually overtook these native words, so the Greek sense of verbal attack survives in the everyday idea of being held responsible.

Synonyms: fault, accuse, attribute, charge, denounce

Antonyms: praise, absolve, exonerate, defend, vindicate