v. & n.
v.tr. (past and past part. paid) 1 (also absol.) give (a person etc.) what is due for services done, goods received, debts incurred, etc. (paid him in full; I assure you I have paid). 2 a give (a usu. specified amount) for work done, a debt, a ransom, etc. (they pay $6 an hour). b (foll. by to) hand over the amount of (a debt, wages, recompense, etc.) to (paid the money to the assistant). 3 a give, bestow, or express (attention, respect, a compliment, etc.) (paid them no heed). b make (a visit, a call, etc.) (paid a visit to their uncle). 4 (also absol.) (of a business, undertaking, attitude, etc.) be profitable or advantageous to (a person etc.). 5 reward or punish (can never pay you for what you have done for us; I shall pay you for that). 6 (usu. as paid adj.) recompense (work, time, etc.) (paid holiday). 7 (usu. foll. by out, away) let out (a rope) by slackening it.
n. wages; payment. in the pay of employed by. paid holidays an agreed holiday period for which wages are paid as normal. paid-up member (esp. of a trade-union member) a person who has paid the subscriptions in full. pay-as-you-earn Brit. the deduction of income tax from wages at source. pay-bed a hospital bed for private patients. pay-claim a demand for an increase in pay, esp. by a trade union. pay-day a day on which payment, esp. of wages, is made or expected to be made. pay dearly (usu. foll. by for) 1 obtain at a high cost, great effort, etc. 2 suffer for a wrongdoing etc. pay dirt (or gravel) US 1 Mineral. ground worth working for ore. 2 a financially promising situation. pay envelope US = pay-packet. pay for 1 hand over the price of. 2 bear the cost of. 3 suffer or be punished for (a fault etc.). pay in pay (money) into a bank account. paying guest a boarder. pay its (or one's) way cover costs; not be indebted. pay one's last respects show respect towards a dead person by attending the funeral. pay off 1 dismiss (workers) with a final payment. 2 colloq. yield good results; succeed. 3 pay (a debt) in full. 4 (of a ship) turn to leeward through the movement of the helm. pay-off n. sl. 1 an act of payment. 2 a climax. 3 a final reckoning. pay out (or back) punish or be revenged on. pay-packet Brit. a packet or envelope containing an employee's wages. pay phone a coin-box telephone. pay the piper and call the tune pay for, and therefore have control over, a proceeding. pay one's respects make a polite visit. pay station US = pay phone. pay through the nose colloq. pay much more than a fair price. pay up pay the full amount, or the full amount of. put paid to colloq. 1 deal effectively with (a person). 2 terminate (hopes etc.). payee n. payer n.
[ ME f. OF paie, payer f. L pacare appease f. pax pacis peace ]