Strange terms for retribution
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (380907)
Rockingham, Australia
May 29, 2026 3:16am CST
Somewhere sometime I wrote about a person being punished for some misdemeanour or other. I was thinking that he’d got his come-uppance which is a very strange term when you think about it.
My thoughts carried on to think that he got his ‘just desserts’. Now where the heck did that come from? And what a strange term. On a similar vein is ‘He got what he deserves’ but that is pretty much self-explanatory.
Maybe I’ll go down the rabbit hole but in the meantime does anyone have any idea about how these terms came about?
Speaking of just desserts, doesn’t this one look great?
9 people like this
9 responses
@LadyDuck (501452)
• Italy
5h
Well I know that "dessert" comes from the French word "desservir," which means "to clear the table." as it is reserved to the final course. I think he got what he deserved that is not exactly the same.
That one in the photo looks like a Peach Melba to me, it was popular when I was young.
That one in the photo looks like a Peach Melba to me, it was popular when I was young.2 people like this
@LindaOHio (221798)
• United States
51m
Without looking it up, I have no idea.
I love ice cream.
2 people like this
@LooeyVille (58)
• United States
Just now
I had to look it up.
"In summary: “Just deserts” originated in Middle English from the Old French deservir, meaning “to deserve,” and has been used for centuries to express that someone receives what they merit. The confusion with “desserts” is purely phonetic, not etymological."
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (380907)
• Rockingham, Australia
4m
Oh wow! Look at those desserts. I wouldn't know what to choose there.
