16 to pay dividends → see dividend
17 to pay through the nose → see nose
18 he who pays the piper calls the tune → see piper
▸ pay back
1 PHRASAL VERB 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. □ [V P n] After several deadlines, David had failed to pay back any of the money. □ [V n P n] I'll pay you back that two quid tomorrow. [Also V n P ]
2 PHRASAL VERB 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. □ [V n P + for ] Some day I'll pay you back for this! [Also V n P ]
▸ pay off
1 PHRASAL VERB If you pay off a debt, you give someone all the money that you owe them. □ [V P n] It would take him the rest of his life to pay off that loan. [Also V n P ]
2 PHRASAL VERB 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. □ [V P n] …his bid to raise funds to pay off his creditors. [Also V n P ]
3 PHRASAL VERB If an action pays off , it is successful or profitable after a period of time. □ [V P ] Sandra was determined to become a doctor and her persistence paid off.
4 → see also payoff
▸ pay out
1 PHRASAL VERB If you pay out money, usually a large amount, you spend it on something. □ [V P n + for/to ] …football clubs who pay out millions of pounds for players. [Also V P n]
2 PHRASAL VERB When an insurance policy pays out , the person who has the policy receives the money that they are entitled to receive. □ [V P ] Many policies pay out only after a period of weeks or months.
3 → see also payout
▸ pay up PHRASAL VERB 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. □ [V P ] We claimed a refund from the association, but they would not pay up. USAGE pay
You must use for
after pay
in sentences like these. Don’t say ‘
pay|able /pe I əb ə l/
1 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If an amount of money is payable , it has to be paid or it can be paid. □ [+ on ] Purchase tax was not payable on goods for export. [Also + to ]
2 ADJ [n ADJ ] If a cheque or postal order is made payable to you, it has your name written on it to indicate that you are the person who will receive the money. □ [+ to ] Write, enclosing a cheque made payable to Cobuild Limited.
pa y-as-you-go also pay as you go ADJ Pay-as-you-go is a system in which a person or organization pays for the costs of something when they occur rather than before or afterwards. □ Pensions are paid by the state on a pay-as-you-go basis.
pay|back /pe I bæk/ (paybacks ) also pay-back
1 N‑COUNT [usu sing] You can use payback to refer to the profit or benefit that you obtain from something that you have spent money, time, or effort on. [mainly AM ] □ There is a substantial payback in terms of employee and union relations.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] The payback period of a loan is the time in which you are required or allowed to pay it back.
3 PHRASE Payback time is when someone has to take the consequences of what they have done in the past. You can use this expression to talk about good or bad consequences. □ This was payback time. I've proved once and for all I can become champion.
pa y 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.
pa y day (pay days ) also payday
1 N‑UNCOUNT 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 ]
pa y|day le nd|er (payday lenders ) N‑COUNT A payday lender is a company that lends small amounts of money for a short time, usually at a very high rate of interest. □ There has been controversy over the sky-high interest rates charged by payday lenders.
pa y|day loa n (payday loans ) N‑COUNT A payday loan is a small amount of money lent to someone for a short time, usually at a very high rate of interest.
pay|dirt /pe I dɜː r t/ also pay dirt PHRASE If you say that someone has struck paydirt or has hit paydirt , you mean that they have achieved sudden success or gained a lot of money very quickly. [mainly AM , INFORMAL ] □ Howard Hawks hit paydirt with 'Rio Bravo'.
PAYE /piː e I wa I iː / N‑UNCOUNT In Britain, PAYE is a system of paying income tax in which your employer pays your tax directly to the government, and then takes this amount from your salary or wages. PAYE is an abbreviation for 'pay as you earn'. [BUSINESS ]
payee /pe I iː / (payees ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] The payee of a cheque or similar document is the person who should receive the money. [FORMAL ]
pa y 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