noun A person, place, thing, or idea, such as 'sword' in this phrase.
verb An action word that indicates the act of falling on a sword, typically used metaphorically to mean taking responsibility for a mistake or failure.
pronoun A word used in place of a noun, such as 'your' in this phrase.
preposition A word that shows the relationship between the subject of the sentence and the sword in this phrase.
To take responsibility for a mistake or failure by resigning or accepting punishment
To resign from a position of power or authority due to a scandal or controversy
To accept defeat gracefully and take responsibility for a loss
To take blame for a project failure or error in order to protect others on the team
In the literary world, 'fall on your sword' can refer to taking responsibility for a mistake in writing or publishing a piece of work that is poorly received or criticized.
Psychologists may use the term 'fall on your sword' to describe a situation where a colleague takes the blame for a professional error or ethical violation within the field of psychology.
In politics, 'fall on your sword' is often used to describe a politician resigning or taking responsibility for a scandal or controversial decision in order to protect their party or government.
CEOs may use 'fall on your sword' to describe taking personal accountability for a company's failure or wrongdoing, often by resigning from their position to show leadership and take responsibility.