Responsibility

have responsibility

As security officer, I have the responsibility for ensuring that nothing is stolen from the office.

accept responsibility

The club does not accept responsibility for loss of or damage to club member’s personal property.

claim responsibility

No terrorist organization has yet claimed responsibility for this latest bomb outrage.

assume responsibility

The problem is out of my hands now that Derek Winton has assumed responsibility for the business. He took over full responsibility for the running of the firm last week.

deny responsibility

The rail company are trying to evade responsibility for the disaster. I don’t know how they can possibly deny responsibility for an accident which involved their trains.

lie responsibility

We must be clear about where the responsibility lies. Personally, I think the responsibility for the present crisis rests squarely on the government.

huge responsibility

Being the captain of the team is a huge responsibility. A lot rests on your shoulders. I think it takes a special kind of person to deal with such a heavy responsibility.

overall responsibility

I’m only in charge of the lower school. The person with overall responsibility for the whole school is the headmaster.

extra responsibility

I don’t feel ready to take on new or extra responsibilities at the moment.

equal responsibility

I think that working parents should take equal responsibility for their children’s upbringing and education. They need to share the responsibility. 

full responsibility

I won’t try to make any excuses. I accept full responsibility for my mistake.

diminished responsibility

The accused pleaded not guilty on the grounds of diminished responsibility. He claimed that he had been under a lot of stress at the time of the crime.

range of responsibility

The job is a demanding one, involving a wide range of responsibilities.

position of responsibility

For a person in a position of such responsibility, the managing director’s conduct at the meeting was unacceptable.

sense of responsibility

We hope that their visit to the retirement home will instill in the children a sense of responsibility towards the elderly in the community.

area of responsibility

I’m afraid you’re complaining to the wrong person. This matter is outside my area of responsibility.

abdication of responsibility

There had been a complete abdication of responsibility in the ferry company. Nobody will accept any responsibility for the disaster in which 350 people lost their lives.

delegation responsibility

A key factor in managing a successful business is the delegation of responsibility.

 

Notes

• In ‘No terrorist organization has yet claimed responsibility for this latest bomb outrage.’, ‘admitted’ is also possible.
• Note the expression ‘sole responsibility’:

Our office has sole responsibility for UK sales.

• Note the following ways of accepting responsibility:

Remember. It’s your decision and you must bear the responsibility if things go wrong.

Each of us must take responsibility for our own health.

He’s an adult now and he has to learn to force up to his responsibilities.

It is usually women who shoulder the major responsibility for the care of elderly relatives.

Which government minister carries responsibility for the police?

• We talk of legal, social, and moral responsibilities.
• Note how we use responsibility to talk about duties:

Your responsibilities will include answering the phone and dealing with the mail.

A doctor’s first responsibility is to his patients.

The kitchen is your responsibility, so keep it clean.

He couldn’t accept his family responsibilities and left his wife and young son.