Topic: BUSINESS
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| Date: | 1100-1200 |
| Language: | Old French |
| Origin: | paier, from Latin pacere 'to make calm or peaceful', from pax; PEACE |
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pay1 S1 W1
past tense and past participle paid
past tense and past participle paid1 to give someone money for something you buy or for a service : How would you like to pay?
give money
[intransitive and transitive]How would you like to pay?2 to pay money that you owe to a person, company etc : You pay tax at the basic rate. Is it okay if I pay you what I owe you next week?
bill/tax/rent
[transitive]BYou pay tax at the basic rate.Is it okay if I pay you what I owe you next week?3 to give someone money for the job they do : How much do they pay you?
wage/salary
[intransitive and transitive]BEWHow much do they pay you?4 to watch, listen to, or think about someone or something carefully : I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention to what you were saying.
pay attention (to somebody/something)
I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention to what you were saying.5 to give money to someone because you are ordered to by a court as part of a legal case : Martins was ordered to pay court costs of £1500.
legal cost
[transitive] pay (something in) compensation/damages (=give someone money because you have done something against them)
Martins was ordered to pay court costs of £1500.6 to say something good or polite about or to someone :
say something good
[transitive]7 if a particular action pays, it brings a good result or advantage for you : Crime doesn't pay.
good result
[intransitive]Crime doesn't pay.8 if a shop or business pays, it makes a profit : If the pub doesn't start to pay, we'll have to sell it.
profit
[intransitive]If the pub doesn't start to pay, we'll have to sell it.9 to experience something unpleasant because you have done something wrong, made a mistake etc
pay the penalty/price
pay the penalty/price for (doing) something Williams is now paying the price for his early mistakes.
Williams is now paying the price for his early mistakes.10 to visit a person or place : I decided to pay my folks a visit.
pay a call/visit
, pay somebody a call/visitI decided to pay my folks a visit.11 to stop something from happening or spoil plans for something : Bad exam results put paid to his hopes of a university place.
put paid to something
British EnglishBad exam results put paid to his hopes of a university place.12 to suffer or be punished for something you have done wrong :
be punished
[intransitive]13 to pay for everything that you want without having to depend on anyone else for money : Sofia worked to pay her way through college.
pay your way
Sofia worked to pay her way through college.14 if something you buy pays for itself, the money it saves over a period of time is as much as the product cost to buy : A new boiler would pay for itself within two years.
pay for itself
A new boiler would pay for itself within two years.15 used to say that someone will be in a lot of trouble about something : If the boss finds out you were late again, there's going to be hell to pay.
the devil/hell to pay
If the boss finds out you were late again, there's going to be hell to pay.16 to pay much more for something than it is really worth
pay through the nose (for something)
spoken17 used to say that someone who has done something illegal has been fully punished for it
somebody has paid their debt to society
18 to treat someone, especially a woman, carefully and with respect, so that they will like you or help you
'pay court (to somebody)
old-fashioned19 used to say that the person who gives the money for something can decide how it will be used
he who pays the piper calls the tune
old-fashioned➔ pay lip service to
at lip service➔ pay your dues
at due2 (2)pay somebody/something ↔ back
phrasal verb1BFL to give someone the money that you owe them [= repay]: I'll pay you back on Friday. We're paying back the loan over 15 years.
I'll pay you back on Friday.We're paying back the loan over 15 years.2 to make someone suffer for doing something wrong or unpleasant
pay something ↔ in
phrasal verbBFB to put money in your bank account etc : Did you remember to pay that cheque in? I've paid $250 into my account.
Did you remember to pay that cheque in?I've paid $250 into my account.pay off
phrasal verb1 to give someone all the money you owe them : He finally paid his overdraft off.
pay something ↔ off
BFHe finally paid his overdraft off.2 if something you do pays off, it is successful or has a good result : Teamwork paid off.
Teamwork paid off.3 to pay someone their wages and tell them they no longer have a job : Two hundred workers have been paid off.
pay somebody ↔ off
British EnglishBEWTwo hundred workers have been paid off.4 to pay someone not to say anything about something illegal or dishonest
pay somebody ↔ off
pay out
phrasal verb2 if a company or organization pays out, it gives someone money as a result of an insurance claim, investment, competition etc : Insurance companies were slow paying out on claims for flood damage.
pay out (something)
Insurance companies were slow paying out on claims for flood damage.pay something ↔ over
phrasal verbBFS to make an official payment of money
pay up
phrasal verbBFL to pay money that you owe, especially when you do not want to or you are late : She refused to pay up. ➔ paid-up
She refused to pay up.GRAMMAR GRAMMAR
The verb pay is followed directly by a noun when you are talking about paying a person • I'll pay you tomorrow. • I haven't paid my accountant yet.Pay is also followed directly by a noun when you are talking about the amount of money you pay • I've already paid £700. !! Do not use pay followed directly by a noun referring to the thing you are buying. Use pay (an amount of money) for something • When I paid for my tickets (NOT paid my tickets) the man told me there was no discount. • I paid £100 for this jacket. When you are talking about whether you pay for something using a cheque, a credit card etc, use pay by • If you pay by credit card, you get free insurance. When you are talking about the type of money you use to pay something, use pay in • You can only pay in euros.
GRAMMAR The verb pay is followed directly by a noun when you are talking about paying a person • I'll pay you tomorrow. • I haven't paid my accountant yet.Pay is also followed directly by a noun when you are talking about the amount of money you pay • I've already paid £700. !! Do not use pay followed directly by a noun referring to the thing you are buying. Use pay (an amount of money) for something • When I paid for my tickets (NOT paid my tickets) the man told me there was no discount. • I paid £100 for this jacket. When you are talking about whether you pay for something using a cheque, a credit card etc, use pay by • If you pay by credit card, you get free insurance. When you are talking about the type of money you use to pay something, use pay in • You can only pay in euros.
