foots the bill
Settles the tab
To foot the bill is to pay the cost of something, especially on behalf of others: The company foots the bill for employee lunches.
The expression implies accepting financial responsibility, often for expenses that might reasonably fall to someone else: Taxpayers end up footing the bill for the bailout.
- payWages for work
- settleReach final terms
- reimburseReturn money owed
- pony upPay reluctantly
- ante upContribute required stake
cough up · defray · check · tip · shell out · finance · compensate · pick up the tab · round · benefactor · cover · treat · on the house · underwrite · cash · sponsor · pay the piper · fund