# fall on one's sword

> English word · Verb

## Definitions
1. To resign from a job or other position of responsibility, especially when pressured to do so.
2. To voluntarily take the blame for a situation.
3. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: To commit suicide by allowing one’s body to drop onto the point of one's sword.

## Etymology
Refers to the practice of some Roman military leaders, who would commit suicide following a devastating defeat by literally falling on the point of their own swords.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/fall-on-one-s-sword