From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Pay \Pay\ (p[=a]), v. i.
To give a recompense; to make payment, requital, or
satisfaction; to discharge a debt.
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The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again. --Ps.
xxxvii. 21.
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2. Hence, to make or secure suitable return for expense or
trouble; to be remunerative or profitable; to be worth the
effort or pains required; as, it will pay to ride; it will
pay to wait; politeness always pays.
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To pay for.
(a) To make amends for; to atone for; as, men often pay
for their mistakes with loss of property or
reputation, sometimes with life.
(b) To give an equivalent for; to bear the expense of; to
be mulcted on account of.
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'T was I paid for your sleeps; I watched your
wakings. --Beau. & Fl.
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To pay off. [Etymol. uncertain.]
(a) (Naut.) To fall to leeward, as the head of a vessel
under sail.
(b) to repay (a debt).
To pay on. [Etymol. uncertain.] To beat with vigor; to
redouble blows. [Colloq.]
To pay round [Etymol. uncertain.] (Naut.) To turn the
ship's head.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Pay \Pay\ (p[=a]), v. t. [OF. peier, fr. L. picare to pitch, pix
pitch: cf. OF. peiz pitch, F. poix. See Pitch a black
substance.] (Naut.)
To cover, as bottom of a vessel, a seam, a spar, etc., with
tar or pitch, or waterproof composition of tallow, resin,
etc.; to smear.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Pay \Pay\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Paid (p[=a]d); p. pr. & vb. n.
Paying.] [OE. paien, F. payer, fr. L. pacare to pacify,
appease, fr. pax, pacis, peace. See Peace.]
1. To satisfy, or content; specifically, to satisfy (another
person) for service rendered, property delivered, etc.; to
discharge one's obligation to; to make due return to; to
compensate; to remunerate; to recompense; to requite; as,
to pay workmen or servants.
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May no penny ale them pay [i. e., satisfy]. --P.
Plowman.
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[She] pays me with disdain. --Dryden.
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2. Hence, figuratively: To compensate justly; to requite
according to merit; to reward; to punish; to retort or
retaliate upon.
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For which, or pay me quickly, or I'll pay you. --B.
Jonson.
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3. To discharge, as a debt, demand, or obligation, by giving
or doing what is due or required; to deliver the amount or
value of to the person to whom it is owing; to discharge a
debt by delivering (money owed). "Pay me that thou owest."
--Matt. xviii. 28.
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Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
--Matt. xviii.
26.
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If they pay this tax, they starve. --Tennyson.
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4. To discharge or fulfill, as a duy; to perform or render
duty, as that which has been promised.
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This day have I paid my vows. --Prov. vii.
14.
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5. To give or offer, without an implied obligation; as, to
pay attention; to pay a visit.
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Not paying me a welcome. --Shak.
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To pay off.
(a) To make compensation to and discharge; as, to pay off
the crew of a ship.
(b) To allow (a thread, cord, etc.) to run off; to unwind.
(c) to bribe.
To pay one's duty, to render homage, as to a sovereign or
other superior.
To pay out (Naut.), to pass out; hence, to slacken; to
allow to run out; as, to pay out more cable. See under
Cable.
To pay the piper, to bear the cost, expense, or trouble.
[Colloq.]
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Pay \Pay\, n.
1. Satisfaction; content. --Chaucer.
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2. An equivalent or return for money due, goods purchased, or
services performed; salary or wages for work or service;
compensation; recompense; payment; hire; as, the pay of a
clerk; the pay of a soldier.
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Where only merit constant pay receives. --Pope.
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There is neither pay nor plunder to be got.
--L'Estrange.
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Full pay, the whole amount of wages or salary; maximum pay;
especially, the highest pay or allowance to civil or
military officers of a certain rank, without deductions.
Pay day, the day of settlement of accounts.
Pay dirt (Mining), earth which yields a profit to the
miner. [Western U.S.]
Pay office, a place where payment is made.
Pay roll,
(a) a roll or list of persons entitled to payment, with
the amounts due; now usually one word, payroll.
(b) the total sum of money which is paid to all employees
on payday.
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