- pay
- pay1verb (past and past participle paid)1》 give (someone) money due for work, goods, or a debt incurred.↘give (a sum of money) thus owed.↘(pay someone off) dismiss someone with a final payment.2》 be profitable or advantageous.↘(pay off) informal yield good results.3》 suffer a loss or misfortune as a consequence of an action.↘give what is due or deserved to.↘(pay someone back) take revenge on someone.4》 give (attention, respect, or a compliment) to.↘make (a visit or call) to.5》 (pay something out) let out a rope by slackening it.noun money paid to someone for work.Phrasesin the pay of employed by.pay dearly suffer for a misdemeanour or failure.pay its (or one's) way earn enough to cover its or one's costs.pay one's last respects show respect towards a dead person by attending their funeral.pay one's respects make a polite visit to someone.pay through the nose informal pay much more than a fair price.Derivativespayee nounpayer nounOriginME (in the sense 'pacify'): from OFr. paie (n.), payer (v.), from L. pacare 'appease', from pax, pac- 'peace'.————————pay2verb (past and past participle payed) Nautical seal (the deck or seams of a wooden ship) with pitch or tar to prevent leakage.OriginC17: from Old North. Fr. peier, from L. picare, from pix, pic- 'pitch'.
English new terms dictionary. 2014.