pass the parcel
"Pass the parcel" originates from a children's party game and has evolved into an idiom reflecting avoidance of responsibility.
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Definition
B1Children's Parties
(common)A game where a parcel with multiple layers is passed around while music plays, and the player holding it when the music stops removes one layer, continuing until the prize is revealed.
Example
- At the birthday party, the kids were excited to play pass the parcel.
- Each child eagerly awaited their turn as the parcel was passed around.
B2Figurative Language
(idiomatic)An expression describing the act of shifting responsibility or blame from one person to another without resolving the issue.
Example
- The project was like pass the parcel, with no one wanting to take charge.
- In the meeting, it felt like we were just playing pass the parcel with the problem.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "pass the parcel":
pass aroundparcel uphot potatoparlour gameparty gamemusical chairs