Foot the Bill

Meaning of Idiom ‘Foot the Bill’

To foot the bill means to pay all the cost of something; to pay the bill in a restaurant or pay the tab in a bar; to pay for the expenses of others; to pay for damage caused by others or expenses caused by others.

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Usage Notes

Although this idiom is flexible, it usually refers to paying for something that is expensive.

For example, if you bought your friend a beverage, you wouldn’t say, “I’ll foot the bill for our drinks.” You’d say something like “My treat!”

However, if you paid the bill for six of your friends at an expensive restaurant you would definitely be ‘footing the bill.’

Examples Of Use

“The tornado caused a lot of damage but our crappy insurance company said it wasn’t covered. We had to foot the repair bills ourselves.”

“Why is it a tradition that the bride’s father foot the bill for her wedding?”

“Tom is a great guy. He always foots the bill for our meal. And we eat a lot!”

“The city has to foot the bill for the mess caused by the parade.”

Origin

Used since the early 1800s.

The idiom likely comes from ‘foot up,’ meaning to ‘total up’ a bill and write the amount at the bottom, or foot, of a written account. However, an individual might also sign the foot of a bill to indicate a promise to pay.

More Idioms Starting with F

• From Your Lips to God’s Ears
• Fox Guarding the Henhouse
• Friends in High Places
• Flat Broke
• Fit To Be Tied

More Body Part Idioms

• Go Belly Up
• Stand On Someone’s Shoulders
• In One’s Face
• Give Someone the Cold Shoulder
• Know Something Like the Back Of One’s Hand
• Out of the Corner of One’s Eye
• Work One’s Fingers To the Bone
• Thumb Your Nose At Someone Meaning

More Bill Idioms

• What’s the Damage?
• Clean Bill of Health

More Foot Idioms

• Put Your Foot Down
• Shoe is On the Other Foot, the
• Put Your (or One’s) Best Foot Forward
• Put Your Foot In Your Mouth
• Back On Your Feet