serve someone right
Got what's coming
To serve someone right is for an unpleasant outcome to be deserved, usually because of foolish or wrong behavior: He got fired? Serves him right for lying to his boss.
The phrase expresses satisfaction or vindication when someone suffers consequences they brought on themselves.
Often shortened to serves you right or serves him right.
- deserveBe entitled to
- have it comingMerit inevitable consequences
- had it comingMerited the result
- ask for itInvite negative consequences
- just desertsMerited reward or punishment
just rewards · tit for tat · eye for an eye · justice · consequence · retribution · karma · payback · comeuppance · judgment · what goes around comes around · penalty · repercussions · blameworthiness · punishment · fairness · culpability · hoist by one's own petard
serve someone rightbad luck
Unfavorable chance events
rotten luck · hard luck · unfair · unjust · tough break
serve someone rightget away with it
nice guys finish last · no good deed goes unpunished · fall through the cracks · beat the rap · land on one's feet
serve someone rightcruel fate
Unkind predetermined outcome
bad luck · hard luck · miscarriage of justice · fall on hard times · tragic accident
serve, right, served, serving, server, serves, servant, servile, service