historicalgeneralneutralliteralarchaic
- To commit suicide by allowing one's body to fall onto the point of one's sword.
generalidiomaticformalfigurative
- To resign from a position of responsibility, often under pressure or as a means of accepting responsibility for failure or scandal.
generalidiomaticinformalfigurative
- To voluntarily take the blame for a situation, accepting responsibility in order to protect others or to end controversy.