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carry the can

(British, Canada, idiomatic) To take responsibility, especially in a challenging situation.

ˈkæɹi ðə ˈkænCurrent151 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🇬🇧 British & Irish slang
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UK
#1·Apr 27, 2026UK

(British, Canada, idiomatic) To take responsibility, especially in a challenging situation.

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  • “Infantino and FIFA will have to carry the can. Even if tickets are sold to locals it will have lost that 'special football feeling'. Sterile is not great even if one ignores all thge othger risks and costs. #greed”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “In fairness, it's worth remembering that the author themselves may not have had any input on the imagery that went out with the article. It's the editors and sub-editors who need to carry the can for that.”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
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🇬🇧About British & Irish slang slang

UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.

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