Webster's English Dictionary

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pay

Cross references:
  1. wage                  
 
1. pay \'pa-\ \'pa-d\ vb or paid or payed;  or paying [ME payen, fr. OF 
   paier, fr. L pacare to pacify, fr. pac-)] also in sense 7X, pax peace 1a: 
   to make due return to for services rendered or property delivered  1b: to 
   engage for money : HIRE  2a: to give in return for goods or service {~ 
   wages}  2b: to discharge indebtedness for : SETTLE {~ a bill}  2c: to make 
   a disposal or transfer of (money)  3: to give or forfeit in expiation or 
   retribution {~ the penalty> 4a: to make compensation for  4b: to requite 
   according to what is deserved {~ him back}  5: to give, offer, or make 
   freely or as fitting {~ attention}  6a: to return value or profit to {it ~s 
   you to stay open}  6b: to bring in as a return {an investment ~ing five 
   percent}  7: to slacken (as a rope) and allow to run out - used with out  
   1: to discharge a debt or obligation  2: to be worth the expense or effort 
   MBURSE, INDEMNIFY, REPAY, RECOMPENSE, REQUITE mean to give money or its 
   equivalent in return for something. PAY implies the discharge of an 
   obligation incurred; COMPENSATE implies a making up for services rendered 
   or help given; REMUNERATE more clearly suggests paying for services 
   rendered and may extend to payment that is generous and not contracted for; 
   SATISFY implies paying a person what is demanded or required by law; 
   REIMBURSE implies a return of money that has been expended for another's 
   benefit; INDEMNIFY implies making good a loss suffered through accident, 
   disaster, warfare; REPAY stresses paying back an equivalent in kind or 
   amount; RECOMPENSE suggests due return in amends, friendly repayment, or 
   reward SYN syn PAY, COMPENSATE, REMUNERATE, SATISFY, REI 
2. pay n 1a: the act or fact of paying or being paid  1b: the status of 
   being paid by an employer : EMPLOY  2: something paid; esp : WAGES, SALARY  
   3: a person reliable or prompt in paying debts or bills 
3. pay aj 1: containing or leading to something precious or valuable  2: 
   equipped with a coin slot for receiving a fee for use  3: requiring payment 
4. pay vt or payed also paid;  also pay.ing [obs. F peier, fr. L picare, 
   fr. pic-, pix pitch - mo]re at PITCH : to coat with a waterproof 
   composition