idiom · informal
on the house
UK/ɒn ðə haʊs/US/ɑn ðə haʊs/on·the·HOUSE
speakingtask1
Provided free by the business (e.g., a restaurant or bar).
Examples
“The dessert was on the house because our order took so long.”
“Don't pay for the coffee — it's on the house tonight.”
“They comped our drinks; everything was on the house.”
Band 8 sentence
“The manager apologised for the delay and put our drinks on the house as compensation.”
Collocations
- be on the house
- offer something on the house
Word family
on the house idiom
Common mistakes
in the house→on the house
On house→On the house
Say it for a higher band
5free→6free of charge→7+on the house
Synonyms
free of charge
Easily confused
free of charge
“The extra service was provided free of charge.”
Related words
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In Money
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