The idiom “face the music” has been a staple in the English language for decades, first appearing in the August 1834 issue of the New-Hampshire statesman and state journal, according to The Phrase Finder. The Cambridge Dictionary describes the idiom as meaning “to accept responsibility for something you have done.” Commonly used in situations in which one has to face the consequences for their actions, it’s a short and simple phrase that can be used both teasingly and seriously, reducing the need to be wordy.

But how did this phrase come about? And how has its meaning changed over the years?

As it turns out, idioms evolve organically over time. Idioms are always being created and used, according to Arnold Zwicky, an adjunct professor of linguistics at Stanford University, on Dictionary.com. He added that as time passes, we start to ignore the bare-bones meaning of the idiom and jump straight to the supposed context of it instead.

Because of this, “face the music” has no known origin. It seems to have been first used in New England, and it has since woven itself into our English vernacular. Despite the widespread uncertainty, many theories about its usage and origin have emerged, each of them plausible.

According to Grammarist, “face the music” could have been a phrase told to actors before they went onstage to face the orchestra pit, thus literally “facing the music” and overcoming any stage fright. Alternately, it could also stem from soldiers marching into battle during the 19th century since many armies once had musicians going into battle with them — the soldiers would be literally facing their enemy’s music. Today, the idiom has shifted from its literal meaning to a more figurative one, often used more in situations of consequence.

Still, even with its uncertain origins, the idiom has cemented its place in American pop culture. The 1993 film “Face the Music,” starring Molly Ringwald and Patrick Dempsey, incorporated the phrase into its title. The idiom is also part of the song “Let’s Face the Music and Dance,” which was introduced by Fred Astaire and written by Irving Berlin for the classic 1936 film “Follow the Fleet.” The phrase has also been utilized in many newspaper headlines, especially when discussing the ramifications of a public figure’s actions or a court trial, and it can be heard in daily conversation.

Language evolves every day. In the future, there will likely be idioms that we cannot imagine or understand presently, but they will certainly be just as interesting as the idioms we use today.