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      • The origin of this idiom can be traced back to medieval times when it was customary for musicians (or pipers) to play at social gatherings and events. In exchange for their services, they were paid by those who hired them.
  1. The idiom “pay the piper” is widely used in English language to describe a situation where one has to face consequences for their actions. The phrase is often associated with paying a price for something that was enjoyed or benefited from in the past.

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  3. Pay the piper/fiddler. The complete expression is ‘he who pays the piper calls the tune’ meaning that whoever puts up the money has the right to control events and is first cited in English in 1638.

  4. pay the piper. Be forced to acknowledge and accept an unpleasant consequence of your action. The full expression is “Who pays the piper calls the tune,” which is to say that money calls the shots (“Money makes the mare go” is the same idea).

  5. What Does Pay the Piper Mean? When it is time to pay the piper, it is time to accept the consequences of thoughtless or rash action. The phrase can also mean it is time to fulfill a responsibility or promise, usually after the fulfillment has already been delayed.

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  6. pay the piper. Be forced to acknowledge and accept an unpleasant consequence of your action. The full expression is “Who pays the piper calls the tune,” which is to say that money calls the shots (“Money makes the mare go” is the same idea).

  7. to make due return to for services rendered or property delivered; to engage for money : hire; to give in return for goods or service… See the full definition

  8. The idea behind this idiom is that if you do not pay the piper (or pay your debts), something bad will happen to you. A variation of this expression is pay the fiddler. A possibly related idiom is he who pays the piper calls the tune. Examples of Pay the Piper

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