verb

pay

verb

To give money in exchange for goods, services, or work.

"Can you pay the plumber before he leaves?"

"She pays her rent on the first of the month."

To be worthwhile or profitable.

"Honesty pays in the long run."

noun

Money received for work; wages or salary.

"The pay here is decent, but the hours are long."

How to Use Pay

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo hand over money for something, or the money you earn from work.

Common pairings

pay a bill pay in cash a pay rise crime doesn't pay

Word Forms

paid past tense, payed past tense, payed past tense, paid past tense, pay plural, paid plural, payed plural, pays plural, Pays plural, pays singular, pay singular, paid singular, payed singular, payest singular, paidest singular, payedst singular, paidst singular, payeth singular, pays singular

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Can you _____ the plumber before he leaves?

Etymology

From Old French paiier, ultimately from Latin pacare ("to pacify, satisfy") — the idea being that paying a debt settles or "pacifies" it.

Synonyms

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ante up cough up defray expend do the needful foot the bill fork out fork over imburse lay out pay the freight pay the piper

Antonyms

buy earn levant default repudiate steal welsh discharge

Related Words

barter abandon achieve win buy Welsh sell discharge

Rhymes for pay

ay may day say ray hay lay jay way yay nay bay

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ante up cough up defray expend do the needful foot the bill fork out fork over imburse lay out pay the freight pay the piper