pay

[Pay]

When you pay, you give money in return for something. It’s not always money, though. If your brother says, “You’ll pay for this!” after you snooped in his room, he’s not talking about money. He means you’re going to get it!

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To cover, as bottom of a vessel, a seam, a spar, etc., with tar or pitch, or waterproof composition of tallow, resin, etc.; to smear.

Noun
something that remunerates; "wages were paid by check"; "he wasted his pay on drink"; "they saved a quarter of all their earnings"

Verb
dedicate; "give thought to"; "give priority to"; "pay attention to"

Verb
bear (a cost or penalty), in recompense for some action; "You''ll pay for this!"; "She had to pay the penalty for speaking out rashly"; "You''ll pay for this opinion later"

Verb
convey, as of a compliment, regards, attention, etc.; bestow; "Don''t pay him any mind"; "give the orders"; "Give him my best regards"; "pay attention"

Verb
give money, usually in exchange for goods or services; "I paid four dollars for this sandwich"; "Pay the waitress, please"

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Verb
cancel or discharge a debt; "pay up, please!"

Verb
discharge or settle; "pay a debt"; "pay an obligation"

Verb
do or give something to somebody in return; "Does she pay you for the work you are doing?"

Verb
bring in; "interest-bearing accounts"; "How much does this savings certificate pay annually?"

Verb
make a compensation for; "a favor that cannot be paid back"

Verb
render; "pay a visit"; "pay a call"

Verb
be worth it; "It pays to go through the trouble"

v. t.
To cover, as bottom of a vessel, a seam, a spar, etc., with tar or pitch, or waterproof composition of tallow, resin, etc.; to smear.

v. t.
To satisfy, or content; specifically, to satisfy (another person) for service rendered, property delivered, etc.; to discharge one's obligation to; to make due return to; to compensate; to remunerate; to recompense; to requite; as, to pay workmen or servants.

v. t.
Hence, figuratively: To compensate justly; to requite according to merit; to reward; to punish; to retort or retaliate upon.

v. t.
To discharge, as a debt, demand, or obligation, by giving or doing what is due or required; to deliver the amount or value of to the person to whom it is owing; to discharge a debt by delivering (money owed).

v. t.
To discharge or fulfill, as a duy; to perform or render duty, as that which has been promised.

v. t.
To give or offer, without an implied obligation; as, to pay attention; to pay a visit.

v. i.
To give a recompense; to make payment, requital, or satisfaction; to discharge a debt.

v. i.
Hence, to make or secure suitable return for expense or trouble; to be remunerative or profitable; to be worth the effort or pains required; as, it will pay to ride; it will pay to wait; politeness always pays.

n.
Satisfaction; content.

n.
An equivalent or return for money due, goods purchased, or services performed; salary or wages for work or service; compensation; recompense; payment; hire; as, the pay of a clerk; the pay of a soldier.

Pay

Pay , v. t. [OF. peier, fr. L. picare to pitch, i pitch: cf. OF. peiz pitch, F. poix. See Pitch a black substance.] (Naut.) To cover, as bottom of a vessel, a seam, a spar, etc., with tar or pitch, or waterproof composition of tallow, resin, etc.; to smear.

Pay

Pay, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Paid ; p. pr. & vb. n. Paying.] [OE. paien, F. payer, fr. L. pacare to pacify, appease, fr. pax, pacis, peace. See Peace.] 1. To satisfy, or content; specifically, to satisfy (another person) for service rendered, property delivered, etc.; to discharge one's obligation to; to make due return to; to compensate; to remunerate; to recompense; to requite; as, to pay workmen or servants.

May no penny ale them pay [i. e., satisfy].

[She] pays me with disdain.

2. Hence, figuratively: To compensate justly; to requite according to merit; to reward; to punish; to retort or retaliate upon.

For which, or pay me quickly, or I'll pay you.

3. To discharge, as a debt, demand, or obligation, by giving or doing what is due or required; to deliver the amount or value of to the person to whom it is owing; to discharge a debt by delivering (money owed). "Pay me that thou owest." Matt. xviii. 28.

Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

If they pay this tax, they starve.

4. To discharge or fulfill, as a duy; to perform or render duty, as that which has been promised.

This day have I paid my vows.

5. To give or offer, without an implied obligation; as, to pay attention; to pay a visit.

Not paying me a welcome.

To pay off. (a) To make compensation to and discharge; as, to pay off the crew of a ship. (b) To allow (a thread, cord, etc.) to run off; to unwind. -- To pay one's duty, to render homage, as to a sovereign or other superior. -- To pay out (Naut.), to pass out; hence, to slacken; to allow to run out; as, to pay out more cable. See under Cable. -- To pay the piper, to bear the cost, expense, or trouble. [Colloq.]

Pay

Pay , v. i. To give a recompense; to make payment, requital, or satisfaction; to discharge a debt.

The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again.

2. Hence, to make or secure suitable return for expense or trouble; to be remunerative or profitable; to be worth the effort or pains required; as, it will pay to ride; it will pay to wait; politeness always pays. To pay for. (a) To make amends for; to atone for; as, men often pay for their mistakes with loss of property or reputation, sometimes with life. (b) To give an equivalent for; to bear the expense of; to be mulcted on account of.

'T was I paid for your sleeps; I watched your wakings.

-- To pay off. [Etymol. uncertain.] (Naut.) To fall to leeward, as the head of a vessel under sail. -- To pay on. [Etymol. uncertain.] To beat with vigor; to redouble blows. [Colloq.] -- To pay round [Etymol. uncertain.] (Naut.) To turn the ship's head.

Pay

Pay, n. 1. Satisfaction; content. Chaucer. 2. An equivalent or return for money due, goods purchased, or services performed; salary or wages for work or service; compensation; recompense; payment; hire; as, the pay of a clerk; the pay of a soldier.

Where only merit constant pay receives.

There is neither pay nor plunder to be got.

Full pay, the whole amount of wages or salary; maximum pay; especially, the highest pay or allowance to civil or military officers of a certain rank, without deductions. -- Half pay. See under Half. -- Pay day, the day of settlement of accounts. -- Pay dirt (Mining), earth which yields a profit to the miner. [Western U.S.] -- Pay office, a place where payment is made. -- Pay roll, a roll or list of persons entitled to payment, with the amounts due.

To cover, as bottom of a vessel, a seam, a spar, etc., with tar or pitch, or waterproof composition of tallow, resin, etc.; to smear.

To satisfy, or content; specifically, to satisfy (another person) for service rendered, property delivered, etc.; to discharge one's obligation to; to make due return to; to compensate; to remunerate; to recompense; to requite; as, to pay workmen or servants.

To give a recompense; to make payment, requital, or satisfaction; to discharge a debt.

Satisfaction; content.

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Usage Examples

Age is a very high price to pay for maturity.

And then before going back for my sophomore year, I decided to change my major to arts and sciences, and my dad cut a deal with me: He said if I'd quit school he'd pay my rent for the next three years, as if I were in school.

Americans don't pay much attention to environmental issues, because they aren't sexy. I mean, cleaning up coal plants and reining in outlaw frackers is hugely important work, but it doesn't get anybody's pulse racing.

Although we have, in theory, abolished human slavery, recognized women's rights, and stopped child labor, we continue to enslave other species who, if we simply pay attention, show quite clearly that they experience parental love, pain, and the desire for freedom, just as we do.

A retired teacher paid $62,000 towards her pension and nothing, yes nothing, for full family medical, dental and vision coverage over her entire career. What will we pay her? $1.4 million in pension benefits and another $215,000 in health care benefit premiums over her lifetime.

Acceptable food rots while we are chased from bins behind restaurants, chased from sleeping on the street, chased from relieving ourselves unless we pay for food or gas, until finally we are so hungry, sleepless, smelly, constipated and beaten-down that we simply die of lack of will to live.

After failing four times and after working for other people and realizing that nobody paid attention to the food like they should have, we wanted to just pay attention to the food and service.

Misspelled Form

pay, opay, 0pay, lpay, oay, 0ay, lay, poay, p0ay, play, pqay, pway, psay, pzay, pqy, pwy, psy, pzy, paqy, pawy, pasy, pazy, paty, pa6y, pa7y, pauy, pahy, pat, pa6, pa7, pau, pah, payt, pay6, pay7, payu, payh.

Other Usage Examples

A lot of people out there pay good lip service to the idea of personal freedom... right up to the point that someone tries to do something that they don't personally approve of.

A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.

A democratic government is the only one in which those who vote for a tax can escape the obligation to pay it.

A girl's got to do what she's got to do to make somebody pay her a compliment. If that means moaning 'til the cows come home, then so be it.

All wish to possess knowledge, but few, comparatively speaking, are willing to pay the price.

American couples have gone to such lengths to avoid the interference of in-laws that they have to pay marriage counselors to interfere between them.

Adversity is a great teacher, but this teacher makes us pay dearly for its instruction and often the profit we derive, is not worth the price we paid.

As a teacher you are more or less obliged to pay the same amount of attention to everything. That can wear you down.