Meaning of 'pay' (Webster Dictionary)
- Satisfaction; content.
- An equivalent or return for money due, goods purchased, or
services performed; salary or wages for work or service; compensation;
recompense; payment; hire; as, the pay of a clerk; the pay of a
soldier.
- To give a recompense; to make payment, requital, or
satisfaction; to discharge a debt.
- Hence, to make or secure suitable return for expense or
trouble; to be remunerative or profitable; to be worth the effort or
pains required; as, it will pay to ride; it will pay to wait;
politeness always pays.
- To cover, as bottom of a vessel, a seam, a spar, etc., with
tar or pitch, or waterproof composition of tallow, resin, etc.; to
smear.
- To satisfy, or content; specifically, to satisfy (another
person) for service rendered, property delivered, etc.; to discharge
one's obligation to; to make due return to; to compensate; to
remunerate; to recompense; to requite; as, to pay workmen or servants.
- Hence, figuratively: To compensate justly; to requite
according to merit; to reward; to punish; to retort or retaliate upon.
- To discharge, as a debt, demand, or obligation, by giving
or doing what is due or required; to deliver the amount or value of to
the person to whom it is owing; to discharge a debt by delivering
(money owed).
- To discharge or fulfill, as a duy; to perform or render
duty, as that which has been promised.
- To give or offer, without an implied obligation; as, to pay
attention; to pay a visit.
Meaning of 'pay' (Princeton's WordNet)
Meaning (1):
- something that remunerates
Example in sentence:- he wasted his pay on drink;
- they saved a quarter of all their earnings;
- wages were paid by check
Meaning (2):
- make a compensation for
Example in sentence:- a favor that cannot be paid back
Meaning (3):
- do or give something to somebody in return
Example in sentence:- Does she pay you for the work you are doing?
Meaning (4):
- convey, as of a compliment, regards, attention, etc.; bestow
Example in sentence:- Don't pay him any mind;
- Give him my best regards;
- give the orders;
- pay attention
Meaning (5):
- dedicate
Example in sentence:- give priority to;
- give thought to;
- pay attention to
Meaning (6):
- bring in
Example in sentence:- How much does this savings certificate pay annually?;
- interest-bearing accounts
Meaning (7):
- give money, usually in exchange for goods or services
Example in sentence:- I paid four dollars for this sandwich;
- Pay the waitress, please
Meaning (8):
- be worth it
Example in sentence:- It pays to go through the trouble
Meaning (9):
- render
Meaning (10):
- discharge or settle
Example in sentence:- pay a debt;
- pay an obligation
Meaning (11):
- cancel or discharge a debt
Meaning (12):
- bear (a cost or penalty), in recompense for some action
Example in sentence:- She had to pay the penalty for speaking out rashly;
- You'll pay for this opinion later;
- You'll pay for this!
Definition
[ n.]