take the heat for something—(coll.) take the blame for smth.; endure severe criticism:
- We took the heat for oversleeping and missing our flight when we landed.
take the heat off something—(also: take the heat out of something)
1. stop people criticizing or attacking smth.:
- The conference was designed to take the heat off his failure to make good on economic promises that got him elected.
2. lessen the bitterness or hostility of an argument, etc.:
- Ishiba tried to take some heat out of his comments, maintaining there was no evidence of an imminent North Korean attack.