Meaning

2 senses

  1. (idiomatic)To pay expenses for something, and thus be in a position to be in control.

  2. (idiomatic)To pay a monetary or other debt or experience unfavorable consequences, especially when the payment or consequences are inevitable or a result of something one has enjoyed.

Examples

3 sentences

  1. He who pays the piper, calls the tune.

    Хто платить, той і замовляє музику. — deniko

    deWes Brot ich ess, des Lied ich sing. — samueldora

    carlosalberto · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · B2Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  2. So it's finally time to pay the piper.

    Tatoeba contributors · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · B2Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  3. It's time for Sami to pay the piper.

    OsoHombre · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · B2Open on TatoebaReport a problem

Origin

Sense 1 is from the English phrase who pays the piper calls the tune; sense 2 may allude t

Sense 1 is from the English phrase who pays the piper calls the tune; sense 2 may allude to the pied piper.

Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Forms

pays the piper, paying the piper, paid the piper, paid the piper
Base formpay the piper · to pay the piper
3rd person singularpays the piper
Present participlepaying the piper
Past simplepaid the piper
Past participlepaid the piper

irregular · Lesson

Present simpleLesson

I, you, we, theypay the piper
he, she, itpays the piper

Past simpleLesson

all personspaid the piper

Present perfectLesson

I, you, we, theyhave paid the piper
he, she, ithas paid the piper

Future simple (will)Lesson

all personswill pay the piper

Synonyms

3 synonyms
to control by paying for:pay the fiddler
to incur negative consequences of one's decision:pay the pricepay the penalty

Lessons for this word

3 lessons

See also

neighbours in the dictionary
pawnshopB2payA1payablepaybackpaycheck
pay the piper — meaning, examples, forms, synonyms | Krumeto