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to pay

to pay

832 2.1
To be worth the time or effort
  • verb
  • /peɪ/
translation icon : valer la pena
  • If he wants to dance, he's gonna have to pay the band.
  • pays dividends
  • persistence pays
  • worth paying

It's it's like it doesn't pay off to be humble.

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Examples

  • It would pay you to play along with us.

  • We found that it pays to provide the Latin lover atmosphere.

  • How much should you be willing to pay to play that game?

  • You should never have to pay for living ever again.

  • I cannot see paying much more than that.

  • And it's, it's the idea of how quick can it pay for itself, right?

  • This one will pay as well, I promise.

  • That it demands households and businesses pay more to get less?

  • A willingness to share sometimes pays unexpected dividends in terms of building your professional reputation as well.

    Academic text (2012)
  • Investing in your education will definitely pay off in the long run.

Synonyms

to pay dividends
vsto pay
7 3.9

To produce good results later

is worth the time or effort generally and not only for delayed large gains

Antonyms

1.0

To use or spend something carelessly and without good reason

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 Worthwhile

to pay off
229 3.4
rewarding
101 3.5
to pay
832 2.1
useful
947 1.0
pointless
157 3.5

Surface Forms

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

Etymology

When we say something pays, we mean it 'gives' a good result or is worth the effort; this sense grew from the idea of receiving a payment or reward.