roost

An arrogant, conceited, or overly proud person, typically a man. He struts around campus like he's the cock of the roost, all because his dad is some politician.

One's previous actions will eventually have consequences or cause problems. Aw man, I knew not handing in my homework would be a problem eventually. Curses, like chickens, come home to roost, after all. I'd be careful before making any rash decisions—you know that curses, like chickens, come home to roost.

Prov. You have to face the consequences of your mistakes or bad deeds. Jill: Emily found out that I said she was incompetent, and now she won't recommend me for that job. Jane: The chickens have come home to roost, I see.

Fig. to be the boss or manager, especially at home. Who rules the roost at your house? Our new office manager really rules the roost.

to cause problems for you He said some stupid things and now those remarks were coming home to roost.

to be the person who makes the decisions Jimmy might be the boss at work, but at home it's his daughters who rule the roost.

if you say that chickens are coming home to roost, you mean that bad or silly things done in the past are beginning to cause problems There was too much greed in the past, and now the chickens are coming home to roost with crime and corruption soaring.

to be the most powerful person who makes all the decisions in a group It was my mother who ruled the roost at home.

The consequences of doing wrong always catch up with the wrongdoer, as in Now that you're finally admitting your true age, no one believes you-chickens come home to roost . The fact that chickens usually come home to rest and sleep has long been known, but the idea was used figuratively only in 1809, when Robert Southey wrote, "Curses are like young chickens, they always come home to roost" ( The Curse of Kehama).

Be in charge, boss others, as in In our division the chairman's son rules the roost. This expression originated in the 15th century as rule the roast, which was either a corruption of rooster or alluded to the person who was in charge of the roast and thus ran the kitchen. In the barnyard a rooster decides which hen should roost near him. Both interpretations persisted for 200 years. Thomas Heywood (c. 1630) put it as "Her that ruled the roast in the kitchen," but Shakespeare had it in 2 Henry VI (1:1): "The new-made duke that rules the roast," which is more ambiguous. In the mid-1700s roost began to compete with roast, and in the 1900s roost displaced roast altogether. Also see run the show.

To have repercussions or aftereffects, especially unfavorable ones: The consequences of your mistake will eventually come home to roost.

To be in charge; dominate: In this house my parents rule the roost.