just deserts
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English
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /dʒʌst dɪˈzɜːts/
- (General American) IPA(key): /dʒʌst dəˈzɚts/
Audio (General Australian): (file)
Noun
- (idiomatic) A punishment or reward that is considered to be what the recipient deserved.
- It may appear that they're getting ahead by cheating, but they'll get their just deserts in the end.
Usage notes
- Deserts here is the plural of desert, meaning “that which one deserves”. Desert is now archaic and rarely used outside this phrase.
- The spelling just desserts is non-standard. It is sometimes used as a pun in, for example, restaurant names.
Synonyms
Translations
a punishment or reward that is considered to be what the recipient deserved
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See also
References
- “'Just Deserts' or 'Just Desserts'?”, in Merriam-Webster: Grammar & Usage, 2019 May 29