pay one's dues
The idiom "pay one's dues" signifies earning a position, status, or benefits through hard work, experience, and overcoming challenges.
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Definition
B2General
(idiomatic)To earn a position or recognition through hard work, experience, or enduring hardships.
Example
- After years of working late nights and weekends, she finally paid her dues and was promoted to manager.
- Many artists have to pay their dues before they achieve fame and success.
B1Organizations
(formal)To fulfill financial obligations, such as membership fees, required by an organization.
Example
- All members must pay their dues by the end of the month to maintain their membership.
- He forgot to pay his dues and lost access to the club's facilities.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "pay one's dues":
pay the piperpay one's own wayearn one's keeppay the rentpay the fiddlerdo one's dutypay the freighttake one's lumpswin one's spursmake one's bonesante upwork one's way uppay backgive creditpay out