face the music
/ˌfeɪs ðə ˈmjuːzɪk/INFORMAL · C1
Meaning
to accept criticism or punishment for something you did
Examples
- 1Tom broke the vase, so now he has to tell his parents and face the music.
- 2After the failed launch, the director faced the music at a press conference.
- 3You copied the report word for word, so you'll have to face the music when your manager reads it.
- 4Priya didn't try to hide her mistake; she apologised to the client and faced the music.
- 5Sooner or later the company will have to face the music over its unpaid taxes.
Grammar
Only face changes: faces, facing, faced. What the criticism is about can follow with over.
Similar in meaning
More idioms about problems and trouble
All 20 idioms and the topic quiz →rock the boatto upset a calm situation and cause problemsthrow a spanner in the worksto do something that stops a plan from succeedingsweep something under the carpetto hide a problem instead of dealing with itteething problemssmall difficulties at the start of something newtouch and goso uncertain that it could easily end badlycome to a headto reach the point where something must be done
English Idioms400 idioms in 20 topics — with reviews that keep them from fading
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