[pay] dearly
1
to experience significant and often negative results or expenses because of one's choices or actions
The idiom "pay dearly" likely originated in the 14th century. The phrase "dearly" comes from the Old English word "deor," which means "dear" or "beloved." This expression is used to convey the idea that someone who does something wrong or foolish might have to pay a high price, either physically, emotionally, or financially, for their actions.
- After buying that expensive car, he paid dearly for it when he struggled to make the monthly payments.
- Neglecting regular maintenance led to her paying dearly for the costly repair bills on her home.
- Choosing to stay up late to study caused her to pay dearly the next day with exhaustion.
- The company's failure to meet quality standards resulted in paying dearly through fines and customer loss.
- His unhealthy lifestyle choices caught up with him, and he paid dearly with health problems later in life.