pay dearly

English

Verb

pay dearly (third-person singular simple present pays dearly, present participle paying dearly, simple past and past participle paid dearly)

1. (figuratively) To suffer as a result of one's actions.
   • 1949 September and October, “Notes and News: The Windsor Centenary”, in Railway Magazine, page 340:

     Both the G.W.R. and the L.S.W.R. had to pay dearly for the privilege of entering the Royal Borough, for the Prince Consort drove a hard bargain with each.

Translations

Translations

• French: payer cher (fr)

References

• “pay dearly”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
• “pay dearly cost dearly”, in Collins English Dictionary.