piper

[pahy-per]

noun

1. a person who plays on a pipe.

2. a bagpiper.

piper

¹

/ ˈpaɪpə /

noun

1. a person who plays a pipe or bagpipes

2. to bear the cost of an undertaking and control it

Piper

²

/ ˈpaɪpə /

noun

1. John. 1903–92, British artist. An official war artist in World War II, he is known esp for his watercolours of bombed churches and his stained glass in Coventry Cathedral

Word History and Origins

Origin of piper¹

before 1000; Middle English; Old English pīpere. See pipe ¹, -er ¹

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. pay the piper,

   1. to pay the cost of something.

   2. to bear the unfavorable consequences of one's actions or pleasures.

      Someday he'll have to pay the piper for all that gambling.

see call the tune (pay the piper).

Example Sentences

A piper will play the lament Sleep, Dearie, Sleep, which was played at the funeral of the late Queen, which was three years ago this week.

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The hearse had brought the coffin, draped in the royal standard, from Kensington Palace where the duchess died aged 92 earlier this month, with a piper playing as the hearse left.

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"There was a piper playing outside, and all these well dressed people, so I thought I was in the right place."

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A piper also performed at a Japanese peace garden in west London to reflect the reconciliation which has taken place between the UK and Japan in the decades since the war ended.

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“And if it feels too good to be true, that’s because it is. Sooner or later, you’ve got to pay the piper.”

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