What Does "Pay the Piper" Mean?
"Pay the piper" is an English idiom. It means "to bear the consequences or costs of something, often after enjoying benefits or advantages."Examples in Sentences
Here are three examples of the idiom "pay the piper" used in a sentence:- If you want to enjoy a lavish lifestyle, you have to be prepared to pay the piper.
- People often fail to realize that excessive credit card debt means they'll have to pay the piper later.
- The company reaped the rewards of its unethical practices but eventually had to pay the piper through legal action.
What Is an Idiom?
An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "Pay the Piper" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.
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