pay the penalty
Bear the cost
To pay the penalty is to suffer the consequences of an action, usually a wrongdoing or mistake.
The phrase implies that negative outcomes are a form of debt owed for one's choices: He paid the penalty for years of neglecting his health.
In sports, paying the penalty means being punished for a foul or infraction.
- pay dearlyFace harsh consequences
- forfeitLose through violation
- consequenceResult of an action
- fineAcceptable in quality
- punishmentPenalty for an offense
sentence · serve time · retribution · settle the score · suffering · sanction · face the music · atonement · own up to · damages · pay the price · suffer the consequences · pay the piper · restitution · pay the fiddler · crime · cost · mistake
pay the penaltyget away with it
beat the rap · walk free · get off · slip through the cracks · cover one's tracks
paying, payer, payers, payment, payments, payable, repays, repaying, repayment