to pay alimony
3
6.3
- phrasal verb
- /peɪ ˈælɪˌmoʊni/
- Specialized
:
pagar pensión alimenticia
- In the settlement, she agreed that he would pay alimony for five years following their separation.
- pay alimony and child support
- stop paying alimony
And it it talks about a lot of female clients who are paying alimony to their husbands and and it it stings.
- And it it talks about a lot of female clients who are paying alimony to their husbands and and it it stings.
Examples
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I take home about 700 bucks a week, and I pay alimony so the idea that I got $29,000 in the bank is pretty hysterical.
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The judge ruled that he must pay alimony to ensure his former spouse could maintain her standard of living.
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We got to pay alimony, you know.
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I hate lawyers and I hate paying alimony and being a good father.
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Your father's not paying alimony, you know.
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Why, he won't pay alimony?
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But not once have you paid alimony to my client, repeatedly defying a court order.
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Refusal to pay alimony is a jailable offence, Fletch.
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But if I pay alimony to you... in other words, if you go on welfare... you'll be weak and dependent on handouts.
Fiction book (1996) -
After their divorce, he was required to pay alimony each month to support his ex-wife.
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'pay' (to transfer money) combined with 'alimony' (financial support for a former spouse) yields the clear sense of making regular support payments after separation. This verb + noun collocation follows standard English patterns and has close parallels in many languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would understand it.
Etymology
The verb pay alimony comes from an old word meaning 'food' or 'nourishment', because alimony was originally money given to help feed and care for someone after a separation. So to pay alimony today means to give regular money to 'support' a former spouse after a divorce.