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Just deserts

Just deserts

Meaning

The result which is deserved. A reward for what has been done – good or bad.

Examples

The British paedophile Jimmy Saville abused hundreds of victims but died before the truth came out. Some say he evaded his just deserts.

Where did it originate?

Britain – 13th century. (note: the spelling is ‘deserts’, not ‘desserts’.

Where is it used?

Worldwide.

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About the Author

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.
Just deserts

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