Take The Fall Meaning

Example :   It was good of him to take the fall for you like that, I just wonder if he will come out of this one unscathed.2010‎ June 8, “Economy Watch: BP CEO Tony Hayward to testify on Capitol Hill next week”, Washington Post:  You can take the president at his word after last week's sacking of MMS director Liz Birnbaum, the first in the government to take the fall for the BP oil spill disaster