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