English idiom

face the music

Register · Neutral CEFR B2

Post

Figurative meaning

To accept the unpleasant consequences of your actions.

Why this phrase?

The phrase pictures turning toward an unavoidable performance or reckoning instead of trying to escape it.

Example

“He skipped practice all week and now has to face the music with the coach.”

Dictionary details

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

behind bars

in prison

bite the bullet

To force yourself to do something unpleasant or difficult that you have been avoiding.

foot the bill

To pay for something, especially something expensive.

it takes two to tango

both parties are responsible for a situation

off the hook

freed from blame, responsibility, or an unpleasant obligation

on one's hands

as one's responsibility or problem to deal with

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

External links

markdown