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to pay

to pay

1.0
To give money for something you buy or owe
  • verb
  • /peɪ/
translation icon : pagar
  • Therefore, the carrier was not required to pay the cargo price to the shipper.
  • pay the bill
  • pay taxes
  • pay a fee

We need to help people pay their rent, he said.

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Examples

  • And she accepted my apology after I paid for her breakfast.

  • Without hesitation, I decided to pay for all of the students' meals out of pocket.

    Academic text (2015)
  • We need to help people pay their rent, he said.

  • What are the costs that people pay for this?

  • The second question I ask is, can I pay the actual cost?

  • You can pay me later.

  • Your children do not have to pay a dime in taxes.

  • I can't afford to pay for your room and board.

  • In the end, Victor had to pay more than $1,200 in hospital fees not covered.

    Academic text (2017)
  • I need to pay the contractor before he starts working on our house.

Synonyms

to finance
vsto pay
277 3.3

To provide money to pay for something

is narrower, meaning direct transfer for goods, services, or debts
to clear
vsto pay
  • Specialized
154 6.0

To earn a net profit after expenses

is mainly the simple act of giving money for goods, services, or debts
to settle
vsto pay
140 3.4

To pay money you owe

is the basic act of giving money for goods, services, or debts
to compensate
vsto pay
102 4.2

To give money to someone for loss, injury or unpaid work

is broader, covering exchange payments as well as compensation
to pick up
vsto pay
77 2.8

To pay for something, often for someone else

is the general transfer of money in exchange or to settle debts
to pay out
vsto pay
42 3.8

To give money from a fund or account

is the simple transfer of money for goods, services, or debts
to pay cash
vsto pay
38 1.7

Use paper money and coins to buy something

is any transfer of money for goods, services, or debts
to pay up
vsto pay
  • Informal
35 3.6

Give someone the money you owe them, often after they ask you

is the general act of giving money in exchange or to settle debts
to shell out
vsto pay
  • Informal
30 7.1

Pay a large amount of money even when you do not want to

is the neutral act of transferring money without reluctance implied
to foot the bill
vsto pay
  • Informal
29 5.3

To pay for something, often when it is expensive or unexpected

is a broader action of exchanging money for goods, services, or debts
to pay off
vsto pay
28 3.6

Give money to someone for work or help

is the ordinary act of giving money rather than rewarding services
to ante up
vsto pay
  • Informal
8 7.8

Pay money you owe as your part of a shared bill

is the general act of giving money individually or collectively
to square with
vsto pay
  • Informal
3 6.7

To pay someone all the money you owe them

is the general transfer to exchange money or clear obligations
to remit
vsto pay
2 6.2

To send money to pay for something, often from one country to another

is a direct transfer of money in many everyday situations
to remunerate
vsto pay
  • Formal
1 8.2

To pay someone for their work or services

is the broader act of giving money for goods, services, or debts
to disburse
vsto pay
  • Specialized
1 7.4

To pay money from a fund for a special purpose

is the everyday act of transferring money for purchases or debts

Antonyms

1.0

To get something that someone gives you

Idioms

hell to pay
  • Informal
19 8.6

Serious trouble or punishment someone gets for something they did

to pay the piper
  • Informal
9 7.7

Accept the bad result of something you did

to hit pay dirt
  • Informal
8 7.5

To find big success or money after trying hard

To serve the punishment for a crime, often by going to prison

4 8.0

Give much more money than normal for something

1 8.2

Something I do not have the responsibility or power to decide at work

1 8.9

Face the bad results of your actions after enjoying something

1 8.1

To accept the cost or bad result of something

in the pay of
  • Literature
8.8

Getting secret money from someone to do what they want

8.2

To get revenge or settle a past wrong

Cover your own costs without help

Suffer a heavy cost to meet an unfair demand

Treat someone in the same bad way they treated you

Phrasal Verbs

To focus on someone or something and notice carefully

298 1.6

Give back money you borrowed from someone

229 3.4

Bring a reward after hard work

153 2.7

Repay all the money you owe on a loan

to pay the bills
  • Informal
74 2.3

Provide enough money to cover regular living costs like rent and food

To go to someone's home or another place for a short time

To give money regularly to your landlord for your home

42 3.8

To give money from a fund or account

38 1.7

Use paper money and coins to buy something

to pay up
  • Informal
35 3.6

Give someone the money you owe them, often after they ask you

28 3.6

Give money to someone for work or help

24 5.0

Give someone money to influence them in a dishonest way

to pay homage
  • Formal
22 5.8

Show deep respect to someone or something, often in public

19 5.5

To show great respect to someone in public for their work

to pay dearly
  • Informal
12 5.8

To suffer serious harm or loss because of an action

to pay back
  • Informal
9 3.2

Do something to someone to hurt them for what they did

To produce good results later

7 7.2

Say they support something but do not act on it

to pay alimony
  • Specialized
3 6.3

To give regular money to an ex-wife or ex-husband to support them after a divorce

to pay heed
  • Formal
2 4.5

To listen carefully to advice or warnings

to pay dues
  • Informal
1 6.0

Do hard work and make sacrifices before you succeed

to pay off
  • Informal
1 5.1

Take revenge on someone for a wrong

To give good results quickly

To work hard for a long time to earn respect or success

Spend extra money to buy something because it costs more or is hard to find

Compounds

pay-phone
  • Archaic
75 2.0

A public phone you use by putting coins or a card in it

31 2.8

A reduction in the money a worker receives from their job

15 3.7

A job level that sets how much pay an employee gets

8 7.5

A discovery or idea that makes a lot of money after hard work

The money you keep after taxes and other payments are taken out

5 4.5

Extra money given to a worker for good job performance

combat pay
  • Formal
4 5.0

Extra money paid to soldiers who serve in war zones

3 3.0

The amount of money a worker gets for each hour or week of work

1 2.4

The amount of money given for work, usually per hour or week

half-pay
  • Archaic
1 7.0

A smaller amount of money given to a worker who is not working full time but is still employed

pay envelope
  • Archaic
1 3.2

An envelope that holds the money a worker gets, often given on pay day

1 3.5

The money a worker gets for work, often in an envelope

pay dirt
  • Specialized
1 7.2

Earth or rock that has valuable minerals worth mining

1 2.3

Money a worker receives while they are off work because they are sick

strike pay
  • Jargon
1 6.7

Money a union gives members during a strike to help with living costs

A system that takes income tax from workers' pay before they receive it

4.1

A student loan plan that limits monthly payments to part of your income and may forgive the rest after years

pay claim
  • Jargon
4.4

A formal request by workers, usually through their union, for higher pay

pay-station
  • Archaic
5.2

A public telephone you use by putting coins in it

A machine you use to pay for parking or tickets

How Much

to overpay
14 3.3
to pay
1.0
to underpay
3 3.8

Surface Forms

pay infinitive
paying present participle
pays third person singular
paid past
paid past participle

Etymology

Pay comes from Old French paier and Latin pagare, words that carried the idea 'to settle' or 'give what is due'. So to pay today means to give money for goods or to clear a debt.