To incur and endure heavy censure or criticism; to take a punishment: took the heat for letting the cat out the door
Idioms and Phrases with take the heat
take the heat
Endure severe censure or criticism, as in He was known for being able to take the heat during a crisis. This idiom uses heat in the sense of “intense pressure,” as in if you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen [ First half of 1900s ]