Learn English – To “sheet home”

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From the (Australian) ABC news website:

Zombie microbes, reindeer and the health risks of climate change

An outbreak of anthrax in Siberia is being sheeted home to climate change. …

I find the definitions:

to sheet home
(naut.), to haul upon a sheet until the sail is as flat, and the clew as near the wind, as possible…

To haul the sheets of a sail home to the block on the yard-arm.

Is the ABC's usage some metaphor on the nautical meaning?

Best Answer

I found it in a dictionary. It's right there in the Merriam Webster, well, fifth definition of sheet, second sub-definition. Unfortunately, there's no examples in there.

sheet home 2 : to fix the responsibility for : bring home to one - Merriam Webster

Thus, it's not a metaphor on the nautical meaning but a standalone meaning. They are blaming the climate change for the anthrax outbreak. Likely due to warming up the bacteria from hibernation.