- pay
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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
New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.