pay the piper

短语

承担费用

发音

AU

词形变化

paid the piper paying the piper pays the piper 三单 pays the piper paying the piper 现在分词 paid the piper 过去式 paid the piper 过去分词

释义与例句

v.
  1. 1.

    To pay expenses for something, and thus be in a position to be in control.

    习语
  2. 2.

    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.

    习语

    [T]he very constitution of society is based upon this volunteer system of paying the piper. Honest men pay the piper for rogues, and full purses for empty ones.

词源

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

来源：wiktionary