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Pay definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

PAY, v.t. pret. and pp. paid.
1. To discharge a debt; to deliver to a creditor the value of the debt, either in money or goods, to his acceptance or satisfaction, by which the obligation of the debtor is discharged.
2. To discharge a duty created by promise or by custom or by the moral law; as, to pay a debt of honor or of kindness.
You have paid down
More penitence,than done trespass.
3. To fulfill; to perform what is promised; as, to pay one's vows.
4. To render what is due to a superior, or demanded by civility or courtesy; as, to pay respect to a magistrate; to pay due honor to parents.
5. To beat.
For which, or pay me quickly, or I'll pay you.
6. To reward; to recompense; as, to pay for kindness with neglect.
To pay for, to make amends; to atone by suffering. Men often pay for their mistakes with loss of property or reputation, sometimes with life.
1. To give an equivalent for any thing purchased.
To pay,or pay over, in seamen's language, to daub or besmear the surface of any body, to preserve it from injury by water or weather.
To pay the bottom of a vessel, to cover it with a composition of tallow, sulphur, rosin, etc.; to bream.
To pay a mast or yard, to besmear it with tar, turpentine, rosin, tallow or varnish.
pay a seam, to pour melted pitch along it, so as to defend the oakum.
To pay off; to make compensation to and discharge; as, to pay off the crew of a ship.
To pay out, to slacken, extend or cause to run out; as, to pay out more cable.
PAY, v.i. To pay off,in seamen's language, is to fall to leeward, as the head of a ship.
To pay on, to beat with vigor; to redouble blows. [Colloquial.]
PAY, n. Compensation; recompense; an equivalent given for money due, goods purchased or services performed; salary or wages for services; hire. The merchant receives pay for goods sold; the soldier receives pay for his services,but the soldiers of the American revolution never received full pay.
1. Compensation; reward.
Here only merit constant pay receives--

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: something that remunerates; "wages were paid by check"; "he wasted his pay on drink"; "they saved a quarter of all their earnings" [syn: wage, pay, earnings, remuneration, salary] v
1: give money, usually in exchange for goods or services; "I paid four dollars for this sandwich"; "Pay the waitress, please"
2: 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" [syn: give, pay]
3: cancel or discharge a debt; "pay up, please!" [syn: pay up, ante up, pay] [ant: default, default on]
4: bring in; "interest-bearing accounts"; "How much does this savings certificate pay annually?" [syn: yield, pay, bear]
5: do or give something to somebody in return; "Does she pay you for the work you are doing?" [syn: pay, pay off, make up, compensate]
6: dedicate; "give thought to"; "give priority to"; "pay attention to" [syn: give, pay, devote]
7: be worth it; "It pays to go through the trouble"
8: render; "pay a visit"; "pay a call"
9: 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"
10: make a compensation for; "a favor that cannot be paid back"
11: discharge or settle; "pay a debt"; "pay an obligation"

Merriam Webster's

I. verb (paid; also in sense 7 payed; paying) Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French paier, from Latin pacare to pacify, from pac-, pax peace Date: 13th century transitive verb 1. a. to make due return to for services rendered or property delivered b. to engage for money ; hire <you couldn't pay me to do that> 2. a. to give in return for goods or service <pay wages> b. to discharge indebtedness for ; settle <pay a bill> c. to make a disposal or transfer of (money) 3. to give or forfeit in expiation or retribution <pay the penalty> 4. a. to make compensation for b. to requite according to what is deserved <pay them back> 5. to give, offer, or make freely or as fitting <pay attention> <pay your respects> 6. a. to return value or profit to <it pays you to stay open> b. to bring in as a return <an investment paying five percent> 7. to slacken (as a rope) and allow to run out — used with out intransitive verb 1. to discharge a debt or obligation 2. to be worth the expense or effort <crime doesn't pay> 3. to suffer the consequences of an act Synonyms: pay, compensate, remunerate, satisfy, reimburse, indemnify, repay, recompense mean to give money or its equivalent in return for something. pay implies the discharge of an obligation incurred <paid their bills on time>. compensate implies a making up for services rendered or help given <an attorney well compensated for her services>. remunerate more clearly suggests paying for services rendered and may extend to payment that is generous or not contracted for <promised to remunerate the searchers handsomely>. satisfy implies paying a person what is demanded or required by law <all creditors will be satisfied in full>. reimburse implies a return of money that has been expended for another's benefit <reimbursed employees for expenses>. indemnify implies making good a loss suffered through accident, disaster, warfare <indemnified the families of the dead miners>. repay stresses paying back an equivalent in kind or amount <repay a favor with a favor>. recompense suggests due return in amends, friendly repayment, or reward <hotel guests were recompensed for their inconvenience>. II. noun Date: 14th century 1. something paid for a purpose and especially as a salary or wage ; remuneration 2. a. the act or fact of paying or being paid b. the status of being paid by an employer ; employ 3. a person viewed with respect to reliability or promptness in paying debts or bills 4. a. ore or a natural deposit that yields metal and especially gold in profitable amounts b. an oil-yielding stratum or zone Synonyms: see wage III. adjective Date: 1856 1. containing or leading to something precious or valuable 2. equipped with a coin slot for receiving a fee for use <a pay telephone> 3. requiring payment IV. transitive verb (payed; also paid; paying) Etymology: obsolete French peier, from Latin picare, from pic-, pix pitch — more at pitch Date: 1627 to coat with a waterproof composition

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. v. & n. --v.tr. (past and past part. paid) 1 (also absol.) give (a person etc.) what is due for services done, goods received, debts incurred, etc. (paid him in full; I assure you I have paid). 2 a give (a usu. specified amount) for work done, a debt, a ransom, etc. (they pay £6 an hour). b (foll. by to) hand over the amount of (a debt, wages, recompense, etc.) to (paid the money to the assistant). 3 a give, bestow, or express (attention, respect, a compliment, etc.) (paid them no heed). b make (a visit, a call, etc.) (paid a visit to their uncle). 4 (also absol.) (of a business, undertaking, attitude, etc.) be profitable or advantageous to (a person etc.). 5 reward or punish (can never pay you for what you have done for us; I shall pay you for that). 6 (usu. as paid adj.) recompense (work, time, etc.) (paid holiday). 7 (usu. foll. by out, away) let out (a rope) by slackening it. --n. wages; payment. Phrases and idioms: in the pay of employed by. paid holidays an agreed holiday period for which wages are paid as normal. paid-up member (esp. of a trade-union member) a person who has paid the subscriptions in full. pay-as-you-earn Brit. the deduction of income tax from wages at source. pay-bed a hospital bed for private patients. pay-claim a demand for an increase in pay, esp. by a trade union. pay-day a day on which payment, esp. of wages, is made or expected to be made. pay dearly (usu. foll. by for) 1 obtain at a high cost, great effort, etc. 2 suffer for a wrongdoing etc. pay dirt (or gravel) US 1 Mineral. ground worth working for ore. 2 a financially promising situation. pay envelope US = pay-packet. pay for 1 hand over the price of. 2 bear the cost of. 3 suffer or be punished for (a fault etc.). pay in pay (money) into a bank account. paying guest a boarder. pay its (or one's) way cover costs; not be indebted. pay one's last respects show respect towards a dead person by attending the funeral. pay off 1 dismiss (workers) with a final payment. 2 colloq. yield good results; succeed. 3 pay (a debt) in full. 4 (of a ship) turn to leeward through the movement of the helm. pay-off n. sl. 1 an act of payment. 2 a climax. 3 a final reckoning. pay out (or back) punish or be revenged on. pay-packet Brit. a packet or envelope containing an employee's wages. pay phone a coin-box telephone. pay the piper and call the tune pay for, and therefore have control over, a proceeding. pay one's respects make a polite visit. pay station US = pay phone. pay through the nose colloq. pay much more than a fair price. pay up pay the full amount, or the full amount of. put paid to colloq. 1 deal effectively with (a person). 2 terminate (hopes etc.). Derivatives: payee n. payer n. Etymology: ME f. OF paie, payer f. L pacare appease f. pax pacis peace 2. v.tr. (past and past part. payed) Naut. smear (a ship) with pitch, tar, etc. as a defence against wet. Etymology: OF peier f. L picare f. pix picis PITCH(2)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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. --Pope. There is neither pay nor plunder to be got. --L'Estrange. 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.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Pay Pay (p[=a]), v. i. To give a recompense; to make payment, requital, or satisfaction; to discharge a debt. The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again. --Ps. xxxvii. 21. 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.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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]. --P. Plowman. [She] pays me with disdain. --Dryden. 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. --B. Jonson. 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. --Matt. xviii. 26. If they pay this tax, they starve. --Tennyson. 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. --Prov. vii. 14. 5. To give or offer, without an implied obligation; as, to pay attention; to pay a visit. Not paying me a welcome. --Shak. 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.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(pays, paying, paid) Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. 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. 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 2. 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. VERB: be/get V-ed n, get/be V-ed adv, V adv 3. 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. N-UNCOUNT 4. 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. VERB: be V-ed to-inf, V n n 5. 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. VERB: V for n, V for n, also V 6. 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. VERB: V adv, V n 7. If a job, deal, or investment pays, it brings you a profit or earns you some money. They owned land; they made it pay. VERB: V 8. 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. VERB: V n into n, V n with adv 9. 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. VERB: it V to-inf, V 10. 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. VERB: V for n, V n for n, V n for n, also V 11. 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. VERB: V n n, V n to n, V n 12. 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. ADJ: ADJ n 13. see also paid, sick pay 14. 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. PHRASE: V inflects 15. 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. PHRASE: V inflects 16. to pay dividends: see dividend to pay through the nose: see nose he who pays the piper calls the tune: see piper

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. a. 1. Discharge, settle, liquidate, defray. 2. Compensate, recompense, requite, remunerate, reward, make payment to, satisfy, discharge one's obligation to, indemnify. 3. Punish, take revenge upon, retort upon. 4. Give, render, offer. 5. (Naut.) Smear (with tar or pitch). II. v. n. 1. Make compensation. 2. Be profitable, be remunerative, make a good return, be a good investment, give a good interest. III. n. Compensation, recompense, remuneration, reward, requital, wages, hire, stipend, salary, allowance, emolument.

1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

To smear over. To pay the bottom of a ship or boat; to smear it over with pitch: The devil to pay, and no pitch hot or ready. SEA TERM.--Also to beat: as, I will pay you as Paul paid the Ephesians, over the face and eyes, and all your d---d jaws. To pay away; to fight manfully, also to eat voraciously. To pay through the nose: to pay an extravagant price.

Moby Thesaurus

accomplish, achieve, advantage, afford, angel, answer, attend to, avail, back, bankroll, base pay, be exposed to, be gainful, be had, be handy, be of use, be profitable, be subjected to, be worthwhile, benefit, bestead, bring about, bring in, bring off, bring to pass, budget, capitalize, castigation, chastening, chastisement, come down on, commit, compensate, compensation, condign punishment, correction, cost, cost out, cough up, deserts, disburse, disciplinary measures, discipline, dismissal wage, do, do for, do the trick, do to, earnings, effect, effectuate, emolument, encounter, endure, escalator clause, escalator plan, expend, experience, fee, feel, ferule, fill the bill, finance, financial remuneration, fix, fork out, fund, get satisfaction, give good returns, give it to, go and do, go through, gross, gross income, grubstake, guaranteed annual wage, guerdon, have, hire, income, incur costs, indemnify, inflict, infliction, invest, judgment, judicial punishment, know, labor under, lay out, living wage, make, make amends, make requital, make restitution, make retribution, meet, meet up with, meet with, minimum wage, nemesis, net, net income, open the purse, outlay, overpay, overspend, pains, pains and punishments, pass through, patronize, pay and allowances, pay back, pay by installments, pay dearly, pay exorbitantly, pay for, pay off, pay on, pay out, pay too much, payment, payroll, penal retribution, penalty, penology, perpetrate, plunk, portal-to-portal pay, prepay, produce, profit, provide for, pull off, punishment, punition, purchasing power, put out, quit, real wages, realize, recompense, redress, refinance, remit, remunerate, remuneration, render, repay, requite, retribution, retributive justice, return, reward, run through, run up against, salary, satisfy, schedule, scourge, serve, serve one out, serve the purpose, set up, settle, settle the score, severance pay, shell out, sink money in, sliding scale, spend, splurge, sponsor, squander, stake, stand under, stipend, subsidize, suffer, suffice, support, sustain, take and do, take care of, take-home, take-home pay, taste, taxable income, tender, throw money around, total compensation, undergo, up and do, wage, wage control, wage freeze, wage reduction, wage rollback, wage scale, wages, wages after deductions, wages after taxes, well-deserved punishment, what-for, wreak, yield, yield a profit