pay
♦♦♦ pay /p'eɪ/ (pays paying paid)
1 [VERB] V for n, V n for n, V n, V n to n, V adv/prep, also V to-inf, V n to-inf, V
When you pay an amount of money to someone, you give it to them because you are buying something from them or because you owe it to them. When you pay something such as a bill or a debt, you pay the amount that you owe.
Accommodation is free-all you pay for is breakfast and dinner...
We paid £35 for each ticket...
The wealthier may have to pay a little more in taxes...
He proposes that businesses should pay taxes to the federal government...
You can pay by credit card.
2 [VERB] be/get V-ed n, get/be V-ed adv, V adv
When you are paid, you get your wages or salary from your employer.
The lawyer was paid a huge salary...
I get paid monthly...
They could wander where they wished and take jobs from who paid best.
3 [N-UNCOUNT]
Your pay is the money that you get from your employer as wages or salary.
...their complaints about their pay and conditions.
...the workers' demand for a twenty per cent pay rise.
4 [VERB] be V-ed to-inf, V n n
If you are paid to do something, someone gives you some money so that you will help them or perform some service for them.
Students were paid substantial sums of money to do nothing all day but lie in bed...
If you help me, I'll pay you anything.
5 [VERB] V for n, V for n, also V
If a government or organization makes someone pay for something, it makes them responsible for providing the money for it, for example by increasing prices or taxes.
...a legally binding international treaty that establishes who must pay for environmental damage...
If you don't subsidize ballet and opera, seat prices will have to go up to pay for it.
6 [VERB] V adv, V n
If a job, deal, or investment pays a particular amount, it brings you that amount of money.
We're stuck in jobs that don't pay very well...
The account does not pay interest on a credit balance.
7 [VERB] V
If a job, deal, or investment pays, it brings you a profit or earns you some money.
They owned land; they made it pay.
8 [VERB] V n into n, V n with adv
When you pay money into a bank account, you put the money in the account.
He paid £20 into his savings account...
There is nothing more annoying than queueing when you only want to pay in a few cheques.
9 [VERB] it V to-inf, V
If a course of action pays, it results in some advantage or benefit for you.
It pays to invest in protective clothing...
He talked of defending small nations, of ensuring that aggression does not pay.
10 [VERB] V for n, V n for n, V n for n, also V
If you pay for something that you do or have, you suffer as a result of it.
Britain was to pay dearly for its lack of resolve...
Why should I pay the penalty for somebody else's mistake?...
She feels it's a small price to pay for the pleasure of living in this delightful house.
11 [VERB] V n n, V n to n, V n
You use pay with some nouns, for example in the expressions pay a visit and pay attention, to indicate that something is given or done.
Do pay us a visit next time you're in Birmingham...
He felt a heavy bump, but paid no attention to it...
He had nothing to do with arranging the funeral, but came along to pay his last respects.
12 [ADJ] ADJ n
Pay television consists of programmes and channels which are not part of a public broadcasting system, and for which people have to pay.
The company has set up joint-venture pay-TV channels in Belgium, Spain, and Germany.
13
see also paid, sick pay
14 [PHRASE] V inflects
If something that you buy or invest in pays for itself after a period of time, the money you gain from it, or save because you have it, is greater than the amount you originally spent or invested.
...investments in energy efficiency that would pay for themselves within five years.
15 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you pay your way, you have or earn enough money to pay for what you need, without needing other people to give or lend you money.
I went to college anyway, as a part-time student, paying my own way...
The British film industry could not pay its way without a substantial export market.
16
to pay dividends: see dividend
to pay through the nose: see nose
he who pays the piper calls the tune: see piperback pay
[N-UNCOUNT]
Back pay is money which an employer owes an employee for work that he or she did in the past. (BUSINESS)
He will receive $6,000 in back pay.pay back
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), V n P n, also V n P
If you pay back some money that you have borrowed or taken from someone, you give them an equal sum of money at a later time.
He burst into tears, begging her to forgive him and swearing to pay back everything he had stolen...
I'll pay you back that two quid tomorrow.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V n P for n, also V n P
If you pay someone back for doing something unpleasant to you, you take your revenge on them or make them suffer for what they did.
Some day I'll pay you back for this!pay cheque (pay cheques)
in AM, use paycheck
[N-COUNT] oft poss N
Your pay cheque is a piece of paper that your employer gives you as your wages or salary, and which you can then cash at a bank. You can also use pay cheque as a way of referring to your wages or salary.
They've worked for about two weeks without a paycheck.pay day (pay days)
also payday
1 [N-UNCOUNT] also N in pl
Pay day is the day of the week or month on which you receive your wages or salary.
Until next payday, I was literally without any money.
2 [N-COUNT] oft adj N
If a sports player has a big pay day, he or she earns a lot of money from winning or taking part in a game or contest. (JOURNALISM)pay en|velope (pay envelopes)
[N-COUNT] oft poss N
Your pay envelope is the envelope containing your wages, which your employer gives you at the end of every week. (AM; in BRIT, use pay packet)pay off
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), also V n P
If you pay off a debt, you give someone all the money that you owe them.
It would take him the rest of his life to pay off that loan.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), also V n P
If you pay off someone, you give them the amount of money that you owe them or that they are asking for, so that they will not take action against you or cause you any trouble.
...his bid to raise funds to pay off his creditors...
3 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
If an action pays off, it is successful or profitable after a period of time.
Sandra was determined to become a doctor and her persistence paid off.
4
see also payoffpay out
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n for/to n, also V P n
If you pay out money, usually a large amount, you spend it on something.
...football clubs who pay out millions of pounds for players.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
When an insurance policy pays out, the person who has the policy receives the money that they are entitled to receive.
Many policies pay out only after a period of weeks or months.
3
see also payoutpay pack|et (pay packets)
1 [N-COUNT] oft poss N
Your pay packet is the envelope containing your wages, which your employer gives you at the end of every week. (BRIT; in AM, use pay envelope)
2 [N-COUNT] oft poss N
You can refer to someone's wages or salary as their pay packet. (BRIT; in AM, use paycheck, pay)pay up
[PHRASAL VERB] V P
If you pay up, you give someone the money that you owe them or that they are entitled to, even though you would prefer not to give it.
We claimed a refund from the association, but they would not pay up.performance-related pay
[N-UNCOUNT]
Performance-related pay is a rate of pay which is based on how well someone does their job. (BUSINESS)sick pay
[N-UNCOUNT]
When you are ill and unable to work, sick pay is the money that you get from your employer instead of your normal wages. (BUSINESS)
They are not eligible for sick pay.take-home pay
[N-UNCOUNT]
Your take-home pay is the amount of your wages or salary that is left after income tax and other payments have been subtracted. (BUSINESS)
He was earning £215 a week before tax: take-home pay, £170.
1 [VERB] V for n, V n for n, V n, V n to n, V adv/prep, also V to-inf, V n to-inf, V
When you pay an amount of money to someone, you give it to them because you are buying something from them or because you owe it to them. When you pay something such as a bill or a debt, you pay the amount that you owe.
Accommodation is free-all you pay for is breakfast and dinner...
We paid £35 for each ticket...
The wealthier may have to pay a little more in taxes...
He proposes that businesses should pay taxes to the federal government...
You can pay by credit card.
2 [VERB] be/get V-ed n, get/be V-ed adv, V adv
When you are paid, you get your wages or salary from your employer.
The lawyer was paid a huge salary...
I get paid monthly...
They could wander where they wished and take jobs from who paid best.
3 [N-UNCOUNT]
Your pay is the money that you get from your employer as wages or salary.
...their complaints about their pay and conditions.
...the workers' demand for a twenty per cent pay rise.
4 [VERB] be V-ed to-inf, V n n
If you are paid to do something, someone gives you some money so that you will help them or perform some service for them.
Students were paid substantial sums of money to do nothing all day but lie in bed...
If you help me, I'll pay you anything.
5 [VERB] V for n, V for n, also V
If a government or organization makes someone pay for something, it makes them responsible for providing the money for it, for example by increasing prices or taxes.
...a legally binding international treaty that establishes who must pay for environmental damage...
If you don't subsidize ballet and opera, seat prices will have to go up to pay for it.
6 [VERB] V adv, V n
If a job, deal, or investment pays a particular amount, it brings you that amount of money.
We're stuck in jobs that don't pay very well...
The account does not pay interest on a credit balance.
7 [VERB] V
If a job, deal, or investment pays, it brings you a profit or earns you some money.
They owned land; they made it pay.
8 [VERB] V n into n, V n with adv
When you pay money into a bank account, you put the money in the account.
He paid £20 into his savings account...
There is nothing more annoying than queueing when you only want to pay in a few cheques.
9 [VERB] it V to-inf, V
If a course of action pays, it results in some advantage or benefit for you.
It pays to invest in protective clothing...
He talked of defending small nations, of ensuring that aggression does not pay.
10 [VERB] V for n, V n for n, V n for n, also V
If you pay for something that you do or have, you suffer as a result of it.
Britain was to pay dearly for its lack of resolve...
Why should I pay the penalty for somebody else's mistake?...
She feels it's a small price to pay for the pleasure of living in this delightful house.
11 [VERB] V n n, V n to n, V n
You use pay with some nouns, for example in the expressions pay a visit and pay attention, to indicate that something is given or done.
Do pay us a visit next time you're in Birmingham...
He felt a heavy bump, but paid no attention to it...
He had nothing to do with arranging the funeral, but came along to pay his last respects.
12 [ADJ] ADJ n
Pay television consists of programmes and channels which are not part of a public broadcasting system, and for which people have to pay.
The company has set up joint-venture pay-TV channels in Belgium, Spain, and Germany.
13
see also paid, sick pay
14 [PHRASE] V inflects
If something that you buy or invest in pays for itself after a period of time, the money you gain from it, or save because you have it, is greater than the amount you originally spent or invested.
...investments in energy efficiency that would pay for themselves within five years.
15 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you pay your way, you have or earn enough money to pay for what you need, without needing other people to give or lend you money.
I went to college anyway, as a part-time student, paying my own way...
The British film industry could not pay its way without a substantial export market.
16
to pay dividends: see dividend
to pay through the nose: see nose
he who pays the piper calls the tune: see piperback pay
[N-UNCOUNT]
Back pay is money which an employer owes an employee for work that he or she did in the past. (BUSINESS)
He will receive $6,000 in back pay.pay back
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), V n P n, also V n P
If you pay back some money that you have borrowed or taken from someone, you give them an equal sum of money at a later time.
He burst into tears, begging her to forgive him and swearing to pay back everything he had stolen...
I'll pay you back that two quid tomorrow.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V n P for n, also V n P
If you pay someone back for doing something unpleasant to you, you take your revenge on them or make them suffer for what they did.
Some day I'll pay you back for this!pay cheque (pay cheques)
in AM, use paycheck
[N-COUNT] oft poss N
Your pay cheque is a piece of paper that your employer gives you as your wages or salary, and which you can then cash at a bank. You can also use pay cheque as a way of referring to your wages or salary.
They've worked for about two weeks without a paycheck.pay day (pay days)
also payday
1 [N-UNCOUNT] also N in pl
Pay day is the day of the week or month on which you receive your wages or salary.
Until next payday, I was literally without any money.
2 [N-COUNT] oft adj N
If a sports player has a big pay day, he or she earns a lot of money from winning or taking part in a game or contest. (JOURNALISM)pay en|velope (pay envelopes)
[N-COUNT] oft poss N
Your pay envelope is the envelope containing your wages, which your employer gives you at the end of every week. (AM; in BRIT, use pay packet)pay off
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), also V n P
If you pay off a debt, you give someone all the money that you owe them.
It would take him the rest of his life to pay off that loan.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), also V n P
If you pay off someone, you give them the amount of money that you owe them or that they are asking for, so that they will not take action against you or cause you any trouble.
...his bid to raise funds to pay off his creditors...
3 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
If an action pays off, it is successful or profitable after a period of time.
Sandra was determined to become a doctor and her persistence paid off.
4
see also payoffpay out
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n for/to n, also V P n
If you pay out money, usually a large amount, you spend it on something.
...football clubs who pay out millions of pounds for players.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
When an insurance policy pays out, the person who has the policy receives the money that they are entitled to receive.
Many policies pay out only after a period of weeks or months.
3
see also payoutpay pack|et (pay packets)
1 [N-COUNT] oft poss N
Your pay packet is the envelope containing your wages, which your employer gives you at the end of every week. (BRIT; in AM, use pay envelope)
2 [N-COUNT] oft poss N
You can refer to someone's wages or salary as their pay packet. (BRIT; in AM, use paycheck, pay)pay up
[PHRASAL VERB] V P
If you pay up, you give someone the money that you owe them or that they are entitled to, even though you would prefer not to give it.
We claimed a refund from the association, but they would not pay up.performance-related pay
[N-UNCOUNT]
Performance-related pay is a rate of pay which is based on how well someone does their job. (BUSINESS)sick pay
[N-UNCOUNT]
When you are ill and unable to work, sick pay is the money that you get from your employer instead of your normal wages. (BUSINESS)
They are not eligible for sick pay.take-home pay
[N-UNCOUNT]
Your take-home pay is the amount of your wages or salary that is left after income tax and other payments have been subtracted. (BUSINESS)
He was earning £215 a week before tax: take-home pay, £170.