Dic: responsible (guilty, cause, in charge of)

1 [ADJ] v-link ADJ, usu ADJ for n/-ing | If someone or something is responsible for a particular event or situation, they are the cause of it or they can be blamed for it.

• He still felt responsible for her death...
• I want you to do everything you can to find out who's responsible.

1.【GUILTY】[not before noun] if someone is responsible for an accident, mistake, crime etc, it is their fault or they can be blamed.

─ responsible for:

• Police believe that the same man is responsible for three other murders in the area.

• We are determined to bring the people responsible to justice.

─ hold sb responsible (for sth):

• If anything goes wrong, I will hold you personally responsible .

4.【CAUSE】[not before noun] if something is responsible for a change, problem, event etc, it causes it.

─ responsible for:

• The floods were responsible for the deaths of over a hundred people.

2 [ADJ] v-link ADJ, usu ADJ for n/-ing | If you are responsible for something, it is your job or duty to deal with it and make decisions relating to it.

• ...the minister responsible for the environment...

2.【IN CHARGE OF】[not before noun] having a duty to be in charge of or to look after someone or something.

─ responsible for:

• Mills is responsible for a budget of over $5 million.

• The airline is legally responsible for the safety of its passengers.

─ responsible for doing sth:

• He is responsible for recruiting and training new staff.

..... Cobuild, LDOCE