The correct meaning of the idiom "The buck stops here" is: Option 3: No further passing of responsibility.

This idiom signifies that the individual takes full responsibility for a decision or issue and does not pass it on to someone else. It originated from the phrase "pass the buck," where "buck" refers to a marker used in poker to indicate whose turn it is to deal. So, "The buck stops here" means that the person acknowledges their responsibility and does not transfer it further.

Let's analyze why the other options are not correct:

Option 1: Passing on the responsibility

• This option suggests the opposite meaning of the idiom. "The buck stops here" means that responsibility does not get passed on; it ends with the person stating the phrase. Therefore, this option is incorrect.

Option 2: Passing hierarchical responsibility

• This option also implies the opposite of the intended meaning. "The buck stops here" means that the individual takes full responsibility and does not pass it up the hierarchical chain. So, this option is incorrect.

Option 4: Taking responsibility

• This option is partially correct in that it recognizes the concept of taking responsibility, which is indeed the essence of the idiom. However, it does not fully capture the nuance that responsibility ends with the individual and does not get passed on further. Therefore, while this option is closer in meaning than the first two, it does not fully encapsulate the idiom's meaning.