pay the piper | Idiomator

Meaning: (idiomatic)To payexpensesfor something, and thus be in a position to be incontrol.1898August 1,Swami Vivekananda, “To Swami Brahmananda”, inThe Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda:Those thatpay the pipermust command the tune.1905,George Bernard Shaw,Major Barbara:Be off with you, my boy, and play with your caucuses and leading articles and historic parties and great leaders and burning questions and the rest of your toys. I am going back to my counting house topay the piperand call the tune.; (idiomatic)To pay amonetaryor otherdebtor experienceunfavorableconsequences, especially when the payment or consequences areinevitableor a result of something one has enjoyed.1831, April 16, Dandy Doricourt, letter to the editors,The New-York mirror, volume 8, issue number 41, page 325:[T]he very constitution of society is based upon this volunteer system ofpaying the piper. Honest menpay the piperfor rogues, and full purses for empty ones.1921,Gertrude Franklin Horn Atherton, chapter 10, inThe Sisters-In-Law:He wanted to get rich too quickly I suppose. . . . He's got topay the piper.2006June 25, Candice Millard, “The River of Doubt”, inTime:Roosevelt never fully recovered his health, but he refused any regret. "I am always willing topay the piper," he once wrote, "when I have had a good dance."

Examples:

EN: Now he's got to pay the piper.
ES: Ha pedido una canción y tiene que pagar al músico.
EN: He ain't ever been able to pay the piper.
ES: Nunca ha sabido pagar.
EN: "Eddie's never been able to pay the piper."
ES: Eddie nunca ha sabido pagar.
EN: - You'll have to pay the piper.
ES: - Vas a tener que pagar los platos rotos.
EN: Through the nose! ...pay the piper!
ES: ...pagar cara mi audacia !
EN: But as you know, someone must always pay the piper.
ES: Como saben, siempre hay alguien que debe pagar la cuenta.
EN: When I order music, I always pay the piper... whether I like the tune or not.
ES: Cuando pido música, siempre pago al flautista, me guste la música o no.
EN: You'll have to pay the piper for dinner by sitting through a report I'm due to deliver.
ES: - Me temo que a cambio de la cena, deberá soportar un informe que debo enviar.
EN: Let 'em pay the piper.
ES: Y ahora pagan el pato.
EN: Then you'll have to pay the piper.
ES: ¡Entonces tendrás que pagar al gaitero!
EN: You'll have to pay the piper!
ES: ¡Tendrás que pagar al gaitero!
EN: I take it that it's up to me to pay the piper.
ES: Por lo visto, seré yo quien tenga que pagar por los platos rotos.
EN: Even sex maniacs have to pay the piper.
ES: Incluso los maniacos sexuales tienen que pagar la cuenta del sastre.
EN: In this house, I pay the piper, not you.
ES: En esta casa, yo pago las consecuencias, no tú.
EN: If you call the tune, you pay the piper.
ES: Haberlo pensado antes.

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