pay

verb
UK: /peɪ/
US: /peɪ/

  1. To give money to someone for work, goods, or services.

    1. I pay the rent every month, it's a big expense. [ ] [ ]
    2. You should pay your employees fairly and on time to keep them motivated. [ ] [ ]

  2. To give or do something as required or expected.

    1. Please pay attention in class, it is very important. [ ] [ ]
    2. You must pay close attention to the details if you want to succeed in this project. [ ] [ ]

  3. To suffer the consequences of an action.

    1. He will pay for his crimes, it's only a matter of time. [ ] [ ]
    2. If you continue to behave this way, you will eventually pay the price for it. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

compensate reimburse remunerate salary
pay noun

  1. Money that you earn for doing a job.

    1. The pay is good at my new job now. [ ] [ ]
    2. She accepted the position because the pay was significantly higher than her previous role. [ ] [ ]
pay phrasal-verb

  1. To give money as a form of payment.

    1. Please pay up now, your bill is overdue. [ ] [ ]
    2. Don't forget to pay attention to the road while you're driving, it is very important. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "pay" in English means: To give money to someone for work, goods, or services., To give or do something as required or expected., To suffer the consequences of an action..

The phonetic transcription of "pay" is /peɪ/ in British English and /peɪ/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "pay": compensate, reimburse, remunerate, salary.

Example usage of "pay": "I pay the rent every month, it's a big expense.". More examples on the page.