pagar mico

From pagar (“to fulfil”) + mico (“an embarrassing situation”), from mico (“informal term for any small, long-tailed monkey”). The term originated in the children’s card game mico-preto, in which there is a pair of cards for several animals, except the mico. The player who finished the game while holding the mico card loses.

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /pa.ˈɡa(ʁ) ˈmi.ku/
• (Carioca) IPA^(key): /pa.ˈɡa(χ) ˈmi.ku/
• (Paulista) IPA^(key): /pa.ˈɡa(ɹ) ˈmi.ku/
• (South Brazil) IPA^(key): /pa.ˈɡa(ɻ) ˈmi.ko/, /pa.ˈɡa(ɾ) ˈmi.ko/

pagar mico (first-person singular present indicative pago mico, past participle pagado mico)

1. (Brazil) to make an exhibition of oneself (to embarrass oneself in public)
   • 2005, João Ximenes Braga, Juízo‎, 7Letras, page 25:

     PS: Dei uma olhada no post da manhã e pensei em tirar do ar o que falei sobre Bianca. Paguei mico, né? Bem, eu estava doido.

     PS: I looked at the morning post and considered removing what I said about Bianca. I made an exhibition of myself, didn’t I? Well, I was crazy.

• dar vexame