pay
To give money to someone for something you buy or use, or for work they have done.
To give money to someone in exchange for goods, services, or to settle a debt.
The money you get when you work.
The money that someone receives for doing a job.
To have something bad happen because of what you did.
To experience an unpleasant result as a consequence of one's actions or decisions.
To look at, listen to, or think about something carefully; to show respect.
To give attention, respect, or consideration to something or someone.
- Base: pay
- Plural: pay
- Base: pay
- 3rd Person Singular: pays
- Present Participle: paying
- Past: paid, payed
- Past Participle: paid
- Irregular past participle: paid Verb
pay back
1Return money or retaliate against someone
To give back money you borrowed; or to do something bad to someone because they did something bad to you.
- I'll pay you back next week.
- He wanted to pay her back for the insult.
pay off
1Repay debt or get benefit from effort
To finish paying all the money you owe; or to get a good result from hard work.
- We finally paid off our mortgage last month.
- All her studying paid off when she passed the exam.
pay attention
1Focus your mind on something
To listen to, watch, or think about something carefully.
- Please pay attention to the instructions so you don’t make mistakes.
- Pay attention to the instructions so you don't make mistakes.
- He paid close attention during the lecture.
- Children should pay attention in class.
pay the price
1Suffer because of earlier actions
To have something bad happen because of what you did before.
- If you ignore your health, you will pay the price later.
- If you don't study, you'll pay the price later.
- He paid the price for his careless driving with a heavy fine.
- He paid the price for years of unhealthy eating.
pay tribute to
1Show public respect or admiration
To say or do something that shows you respect and admire someone or something.
- They paid tribute to the firefighters who died in service.
- The mayor paid tribute to her long years of service.
pay tribute to
2to express respect or admiration
To say, write, or do something to show that you respect or admire a person or thing.
- Thousands gathered to pay tribute to the victims of the disaster.
- In his speech, he paid tribute to his parents for their support.
- Fans paid tribute to the singer by holding candles and singing her songs.