fall on your sword

fall on your sword
   to resign after failure
   The fate of defeated Roman generals:
    Sources close to the company said that he had elected to 'fall on his sword' following a warning two weeks ago which forecast a loss of £2m. {Daily Telegraph, 7 May 1997, of a Chief Executive)

How not to say what you mean: A dictionary of euphemisms. . 2014.

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  • fall on your sword — If someone falls on their sword, they resign or accept the consequences of some wrongdoing …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • fall on your sword — quit, resign, pull the pin    I know I caused the problem, but I won t fall on my sword. They ll have to fire me …   English idioms

  • fall on your sword —    If someone falls on their sword, they resign or accept the consequences of some wrongdoing.   (Dorking School Dictionary) …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • Fall on your sword —   If someone falls on their sword, they resign or accept the consequences of some wrongdoing …   Dictionary of English idioms

  • fall on your sword — Meaning Commit suicide or offer your resignation. Origin Originally from the military custom of committing suicide rather than face the dishonour of surrender. More recently used when someone takes personal responsibility for a group action and… …   Meaning and origin of phrases

  • Fall guy — A fall guy is a person used as a scapegoat to take the blame for someone else s actions, or someone at the butt of jokes. One placed in the position of fall guy is often referred to as taking the fall . In the film industry, a fall guy is a form… …   Wikipedia

  • fall on one's sword —    If you fall on your sword, you accept the consequences of an unsuccessful or wrong action.     The organizer of the referendum resigned when the poor results were announced. It was said that he fell on his sword …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • Sword — For other uses, see Sword (disambiguation) and Swords (disambiguation). Swiss longsword, 15th or 16th century A sword is a bladed weapon (edged weapon) used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the… …   Wikipedia

  • Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword — Developer(s) Firaxis Games Publisher(s) Take Two Interactive …   Wikipedia

  • The Sword of Shannara — This article is about the fantasy novel. For the fictional sword, see Sword of Shannara. The Sword of Shannara   …   Wikipedia

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