# sing for one's supper

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/sing-for-ones-supper
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To work in exchange for some reward or recompense.

## Examples

- You must sing for your supper if you want a free meal.
- The intern had to sing for his supper by organizing the files before he could ask for a promotion.
- In this competitive industry, every artist must sing for their supper by constantly producing new work to maintain their reputation.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.