pay
pay Lexical Profile
pay Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Money given to someone in return for regular work or services; wages or salary.
"The employees negotiated for higher pay and better health benefits."
The state or status of being employed by someone for wages.
"The informant had been in the pay of a rival corporation for several years."
• verb
To give money to someone in exchange for goods, work done, or services rendered, or to settle a debt.
"She used her credit card to pay for the groceries and then settled the utility bill online."
To bestow, direct, or offer something abstract (such as attention, a compliment, a visit, or respect) to someone.
"Please pay close attention to the safety instructions before we begin the laboratory experiment."
To yield a financial return, profit, or practical advantage to someone.
"Investing in energy-efficient appliances will pay for itself over time, and it always pays to plan ahead."
To suffer a loss, misfortune, or negative consequence as a result of an action or mistake.
"If you ignore regular maintenance, you will eventually pay for your negligence."
Word Nuance & Usage
The standard past tense and past participle for all financial and general senses is 'paid'. The regular spelling 'payed' is strictly reserved for the nautical sense of letting out a rope or sealing a ship's deck with pitch.
• Rhymes for pay
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Old French 'paier' (to appease, pacify, or pay), from Latin 'pacare' (to make peaceful or pacify), derived from 'pax' (peace), originally referring to appeasing a creditor by settling a debt.