devil to pay
The phrase "devil to pay" originates from nautical terminology but has evolved into an idiom meaning severe trouble or consequences.
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Definition
B2General
(informal)Facing serious trouble or consequences due to one's actions.
Example
- If you break the rules, there will be the devil to pay.
- After the scandal, the politician had the devil to pay.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "devil to pay":
devil dancingdevil dodgerpay the piperdevil's ownpay the fiddlerlet the devil outdevil in one's eyesthe devildevil's gripdevil dancepay backdevil's dust