pay the freight
phrase
: to pay the amount of money required for carrying goods
The buyer paid the full freight.
—sometimes used figuratively in U.S. Englishparents struggling to pay the freight for their children's college education
He warns that taxpayers will end up paying the freight for the new stadium.
Cite this Entry
“Pay the freight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pay%20the%20freight. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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