Placing the onus on the opposition?

Question

ok so im doing rhetorical terms for AP lang and i cannot find a definition for "placing the onus on the opposition" any where. I understand that it is like saying you "had no choice and that anyone in your position would have done the same"

Can someone plz give me a clear and easy to understand definition?

thanks

Answer 1

Placing the onus on someone means you are giving them the reponsibility/ burden/ obligation to undertake an unpleasant or difficult task.

So placing the onus on the opposition could be phrased something like.

Kate scored two goals back to back, placing the onus on the opposition to equal the score.

We have to put the onus back on the parents to keep their children under control.

"had no choice and that anyone in your position would have done the same" is probably more the reason to place the onus, not what placing the onus means.

Hope this helps :)