come back to haunt one

come back to haunt (one)

1. To pursue someone or something in a ghostly or otherwise supernatural form. If you don't do exactly what I want at my funeral, I'll come back to haunt you all!
2. For a past situation, decision, etc. to cause problems for one in the present or future. His poor treatment of his employees might come back to haunt him some day. Her remarks during the campaign have come back to haunt her during the debate.
3. To return to one's consciousness, as of a thought or memory. I've barely slept because that nightmare has come back to haunt me every night this week. The fear that I'll get fired comes back to haunt me all the time.
See also: back, come, haunt
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

come back to haunt one

 and return to haunt one
Fig. [for a bad memory] to recur; for the consequences of a bad decision to affect one negatively later. I never dreamed that a little thing like a traffic ticket could come back to haunt me years later.
See also: back, come, haunt, one
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • come back to haunt (one)
  • haunt
  • return to haunt
  • return to haunt (one)
  • a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
  • bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
  • dog
  • guardian angel
  • chase after
  • conjure up