pick up the tab/bill/check

idiom

: to pay the money that is owed for something
The company picked up the entire tab for my trip.
They offered to pick up the check for dinner.

Examples of pick up the tab/bill/check in a Sentence

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At the same time, Pritzker reiterated that the state can’t pick up the bill for billions of dollars lost in potential overall cuts to federal funding. — Olivia Olander, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2025 Future generations pick up the bill If taxes on Social Security benefits are eliminated, those at the top of the household income distribution would see the largest tax reductions, according to the Penn Wharton Budget Model. — Lorie Konish, CNBC, 18 Feb. 2025

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pick up the tab
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“Pick up the tab/bill/check.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pick%20up%20the%20tab%2Fbill%2Fcheck. Accessed 27 Mar. 2025.

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