responsible
/ris'pɔnsəbl/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Having a duty to deal with something or having control over someone: Being the person who must ensure that a particular task or duty is performed correctly or who is in charge of someone or something.
- Being the primary cause of an event or situation: Being the agent or source that makes something happen.
- Capable of being trusted to behave well, make good judgments, or be held accountable: Having the maturity, reliability, or moral soundness to be given duties or trust.
Examples of Usage
- Adjective:
- Parents are responsible for their children's safety. (Parents have the duty to ensure their children are safe.)
- The investigation found the faulty wiring was responsible for the fire. (The faulty wiring was the cause of the fire.)
- She is a very responsible employee who always meets her deadlines. (She is a trustworthy and reliable employee.)
Advanced Usage
- "to be responsible to someone/something": To have a duty to report to or be controlled by a higher authority.
- The committee is responsible to the board of directors. (The committee must answer to the board of directors.)
- Financially responsible: Having an acceptable credit rating or being trustworthy in financial matters.
- Only responsible borrowers with good credit history qualify for the loan.
Variants and Related Words
- Responsibility (n): The state or fact of having a duty to deal with something or of being accountable.
- With great power comes great responsibility.
- Responsibly (adv): In a sensible or trustworthy manner.
- He promised to act responsibly with the information.
Synonyms
- Accountable: Required or expected to justify actions or decisions.
- Liable: Legally responsible for something.
- Trustworthy: Able to be relied on as honest or truthful.
- Dependable: Trustworthy and reliable.
Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)
- Hold responsible: To consider someone accountable for something.
- The company will be held responsible for the environmental damage.
- Make responsible for: To give someone the duty or control over something.
- They made her responsible for organizing the event.
Related Idioms
- The buck stops here: A phrase indicating that the speaker accepts ultimate responsibility and will not pass it on to someone else.
- As the manager, I say the buck stops here for this decision.
- Carry the can (for something): To accept the blame or responsibility for something, especially when it is not your fault.
- He had to carry the can for his team's failure.
Adjective
- having an acceptable credit rating
- a responsible borrower
- being the agent or cause
- determined who was the responsible party
- termites were responsible for the damage
- worthy of or requiring responsibility or trust; or held accountable
- a responsible adult
- responsible journalism
- a responsible position
- the captain is responsible for the ship's safety
- the cabinet is responsible to the parliament