Ever wondered what phrases like “pay the piper” or “pay through the nose” really mean? Idioms with the word “pay” are fun and often used in everyday English. In this post, we’ll explore some common and interesting “pay” idioms. You’ll learn what they mean and how to use them in sentences, in a way that’s easy for anyone to understand!
Pay Idioms
Here are 20 pay idioms in English with meaning and example sentence for each.
1. Pay the piper
Meaning: Take responsibility for an action
Example: He gambled with his rent money and now he has to pay the piper.
2. Pay through the nose
Meaning: Pay much more than is reasonable
Example: For that car, he paid through the nose.
3. Pay dirt
Meaning: Find something valuable
Example: They hit pay dirt while renovating the house.
4. Pay one’s dues
Meaning: Earn something through hard work
Example: She really paid her dues in her early career.
5. Pay it forward
Meaning: Respond to a person’s kindness by being kind to someone else
Example: He bought coffee to pay it forward.
6. Pay the price
Meaning: Suffer the consequences
Example: She cheated on the test and paid the price.
7. Pay one’s way
Meaning: Finance oneself independently
Example: He wants to pay his own way through college.
8. Pay one’s respects
Meaning: Show or express respect or condolences
Example: They went to pay their respects at her funeral.
9. Pay lip service
Meaning: Express loyalty or support insincerely
Example: They only paid lip service to the cause.
10. Pay attention
Meaning: Focus one’s attention on something
Example: Please pay attention to the instructions.
11. Payback time
Meaning: Time for revenge or retaliation
Example: It’s payback time for the insults.
12. Pay one’s keep
Meaning: Contribute to one’s living expenses
Example: He helps out to pay his keep at home.
13. Pay the penalty
Meaning: Suffer a consequence for doing something wrong
Example: He lied and now must pay the penalty.
14. Pay the bill
Meaning: Bear the cost of something
Example: After dinner, it’s his turn to pay the bill.
15. Pay off
Meaning: Result in success
Example: All her training paid off at the race.
16. Pay one’s last respects
Meaning: Say goodbye to the deceased
Example: Many came to pay their last respects.
17. Pay dividends
Meaning: Yield benefits over time
Example: Investing early will pay dividends later.
18. Pay the fare
Meaning: Pay for transportation
Example: I’ll pay the fare for the bus ride.
19. Pay your way out
Meaning: Escape a situation by spending money
Example: He tried to pay his way out of trouble.
20. Pay zero attention
Meaning: Completely ignore
Example: She paid zero attention to the warnings.
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