pay Hear it!

pay¹ Definition

pay (pā)

transitive verb paid or Obsoletepayed, pay′·ing

  1. to give to (a person) what is due, as for goods received, services rendered, etc.; remunerate; recompense
  2. to give (what is due or owed) in return, as for goods or services
  3. to make a deposit or transfer of (money) paid $50 into the credit union
  4. to discharge or settle (a debt, obligation, expenses, etc.) by giving something in return
    1. to give or offer (a compliment, respects, attention, etc.)
    2. to make (a visit, call, etc.)
  6. to yield as a recompense or return a job that pays $90
  7. to be worthwhile or profitable to it will pay him to listen

Etymology: ME paien, to pay, satisfy < OFr paier < L pacare, to pacify < pax, peace

intransitive verb

  1. to give due compensation; make payment
  2. to be profitable or worthwhile
  3. to yield return or compensation as specified a stock that pays poorly

noun

  1. a paying or being paid; payment
  2. money paid, esp. for work or services; wages or salary
  3. anything, good or bad, given or done in return
  4. Now Rare a person regarded as a credit risk

adjective

  1. rich enough in minerals, ore, etc. to make mining profitable pay gravel
  2. operated or made available by depositing coins, submitting credit cards, etc. a pay telephone, pay toilet
  3. designating a service, facility, etc. paid for by subscription, fees, etc. pay TV

pay¹ Idioms

in the pay of

employed and paid by

pay as you go

☆

to pay expenses as they arise

pay back

  1. to repay
  2. to retaliate upon

pay down

  1. to pay in cash
  2. to pay (part of the purchase price) at the time of purchase: used in installment buying

pay for

  1. to suffer or undergo punishment because of
  2. to atone or make amends for

pay off

  1. to pay all that is owed on (a debt, etc.) or to (a person, as in discharging from employment)
  2. to take revenge on (a wrongdoer) or for (a wrong done)
  3. to yield full recompense or return, for either good or evil
  4. Informal to bring about a desired result; succeed
  5. Naut. to swing or allow to swing away from the wind: said of the bow of a vessel

pay someone's way

to pay someone's share of the expenses

pay out

  1. to give out (money, etc.); expend
  2. to let out (a rope, cable, etc.) gradually

pay up

to pay in full or on time

with pay

with wages or salary included a two-week vacation with pay

pay² Definition

pay (pā)

transitive verb payed, pay′·ing

to coat as with pitch in order to make waterproof to pay the seams of a wooden ship

Etymology: OFr peier < L picare, to cover with pitch < pix, pitch

pay Synonyms

pay

v.

  1. To give payment

    compensate, recompense, make payment, reward, remunerate, reimburse, repay, indemnify, discharge, recoup, refund, requite, settle, reckon with, put down, lay down, remit, make restitution, make reparation, hand over, liquidate, handle, take care of, give, confer, bequeath, defray, meet, prepay, advance, expend, disburse, clear, adjust, satisfy, bear the cost, bear the expense, finance, fund, shell out*, kick in*, dig up*, plank down*, plunk down*, put up*, stake*, foot the bill*, get square with the world*, sweeten the kitty*, pick up the tab*, pick up the check*, put one's money on the line*, fork out*, fork over*, come across*, come through with*, chip in*, square*, ante up*, cough up*; see also spend 1.

    Antonyms receive*, owe, withhold, swindle.

  2. To produce a profit

    return, pay off, pay out, show profit, yield profit, yield excess, show gain, pay dividends, sweeten*, kick back*, weigh out*.

    Antonyms fail*, lose, become bankrupt.

  3. To retaliate

    repay, punish, requite; see revenge.

pay is the simple, direct word meaning to give money, etc. due for services rendered, goods received, etc.; compensate implies a return, whether monetary or not, thought of as equivalent to the service given, the effort expended, or the loss sustained one could never be compensated for the loss of a child; remunerate stresses the idea of payment for a service rendered, but it often also carries an implication of reward a bumper crop remunerated the farmer for past labors; to reimburse is to pay back what has been expended to reimburse employees for traveling expenses; to indemnify is to pay for what has been lost or damaged they were indemnified for the war destruction; repay implies a paying back of money given to one or may refer to a doing or giving of anything in requital how can I repay you for your kindness?; recompense stresses the idea of compensation or requital they felt adequately recompensed for their efforts

pay Usage Examples

Object

  • attention: I hope you are paying attention at the back!
  • tribute: I would like to pay tribute to all members of his family who have displayed enormous dignity throughout the investigation.
  • fee: You will normally have to pay a survey fee.
  • tax: Individuals pay no tax on investment income or capital gains, whether resident or not.
  • dividend: The company might want to pay the dividend on some of the shares in a currency other than sterling.
  • rent: At best the tenant will immediately pay the rent owing.

Adjective modifier

  • equal: The aim in any pay negotiations will be to secure equal pay without losers.
  • statutory: New mothers ' entitlement to statutory maternity pay will be increased from 26 to 39 weeks next spring.

Modifies a noun

  • rise: We have seen large pay rises offered to other public sector workers over the past week.
  • packet: Payroll Giving - a system where employees sign up to donate to a charity directly from their monthly pay packet.
  • gap: Childcare also plays a role in meeting other key objectives, including boosting productivity and closing the gender pay gap.

Followed by an intransitive particle

  • off: Mr Freeman, who is married with three children, plans to pay off his £ 80,000 loan in 12 years.

Followed by a transitive particle

  • off: You then pay off the mortgage at the end of the term with the money you have built up in the investment policy.

Adjective complement

  • less: This new transparency revealed that women were being illegally paid less than men.

Noun used with modifier

  • maternity: New mothers ' entitlement to statutory maternity pay will be increased from 26 to 39 weeks next spring.
  • gender: Childcare also plays a role in meeting other key objectives, including boosting productivity and closing the gender pay gap.
  • adoption: However, in a joint adoption only one partner is entitled to statutory adoption pay whilst the other has paternity leave entitlements.

Preposition: by

  • check: Postal customers can also pay by check or postal order made payable to Carlsons Fishing Tackle ( UK customers only ).
  • installment: If you do not do so within the time you lose the right to pay by installments and the WHOLE AMOUNT becomes due.
  • debit: Paying by direct debit means you never have to worry about accidentally losing the protection of TSSA membership.
pay Quotes

Which of us†is to do the hard and dirty work for the restöand for what pay? Who is to do the pleasant and clean work, and for what pay?

—Ruskin,John

All Reformers, however strict their social conscience, live in houses just as big as they can pay for.

—Smith, Logan Pearsall

Justice is such a fine thing that we cannot pay too dearly for it.

—Le Sage, Alain Rene¤

The National Debt is a very Good Thing, and it would be dangerous to pay it off for fear of Political Economy.

—J(ulian)

Death comes along like a gas bill one can't payöand that's all one can sayabout it.

—Wilson

People do what you pay them to do, not what you ask them to do.

—Waldron, Hicks

Iguessthere's alwaysgoing to be jobsthat pay morethan others, and I suppose I have one of those.

—Williams,Venus

There is nothing nameable but that some men will, or undertake to, do it for pay.

—Melville, Herman

Not a penny off the pay; not a second on the day.

—Cook, ArthurJames

Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans, born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined bya hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage, and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world. Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall payany price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and success of liberty.

—Kennedy,John F(itzgerald)

   For the sin ye do by two and two ye must pay for one by one!

—Kipling, (Joseph) Rudyard

Pension. Pay given to state hireling for treason to his country.

—Johnson, Samuel known as Dr Johnson

Tell you what, you keep the salary and pay me the cut.

—Gomez,Vernon Louis known as  'Lefty'

Sir, I now pay you this exorbitant charge, but I must ask you to explain to Her Majesty that she must not in future look upon me as a source of income.

—Kemble, Charles

In an English ship, they say, it is poor grub, poor pay, and easy work; in an American ship, good grub, good pay, and hard work. And this is applicable to the working populations of both countries.

—Lombardi,Vince(ntThomas)

Speak clearly, don't bump into people, and if you must have motivation think of your pay packet on Friday.

—Coward, Sir Noe«  l Peirce

Some women won't buy anything unless they can pay a lot.

—Rubenstein, Helena

Non si paga, non si paga. We won't pay, we won't pay.

—Fo, Dario

The candles burn their sockets, The blinds let through the day, The young man feels his pockets And wonders what's to pay.

—Housman, A(lfred) E(dward)

Browse dictionary entries near pay

  1. ‹ Pax Romana
  2. ‹ pax
  3. ‹ Pawtucket
  4. ‹ pawpaw
  5. ‹ pawnshop
  6. ‹ Pawnee
  7. ‹ pawned
  8. ‹ pawnbroker
  9. ‹ pawn ticket
  10. ‹ pawn shop
  1. pay-as-you-go ›
  2. pay back ›
  3. pay dirt ›
  4. pay down on ›
  5. pay for ›
  6. pay-off ›
  7. pay-per-view ›
  8. pay station ›
  9. pay telephone ›
  10. pay-to-play ›