onus

An onus is a responsibility or burden that someone has to carry.

When we talk about an onus, it usually means that something is weighing on someone's mind or shoulders. For example, if your friend has just moved into a new apartment and is worried about paying rent, they might say, "I have the onus of finding a way to afford this place." This means they feel responsible for figuring out how to pay their bills. On the other hand, when someone does something that causes problems or difficulties for others, we might say that task or problem falls on them as an onus. In these cases, it's like adding weight to their already busy life. Sometimes people also use "onus" to talk about a moral responsibility or obligation – for instance, if there's a social issue and someone feels they have the onus of fixing it, they feel it's their duty to take action.