he who pays the piper calls the tune
idiom
—used to say that the person who pays for something controls how it is done
Cite this Entry
“He who pays the piper calls the tune.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/he%20who%20pays%20the%20piper%20calls%20the%20tune. Accessed 30 Nov. 2025.
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