pay
/peɪ/ IELTSAcademic
verb
To give someone money for goods, services, wages, or a debt. It can also mean to spend money for something, or to suffer a cost or consequence.
- I need to pay the bill today.
- She pays rent on the first of the month.
- He paid a heavy price for his mistake.
noun
Money you receive for work. This use is common in business and work contexts.
- The job offers good pay.
- Her pay increased after the review.
- Many workers want better pay.
Adinary Nuance
Pay is broader than many near-neighbors. Use pay when money changes hands, especially for bills, work, or debts. Spend focuses on using money, not giving it to a person. Cost shows the price, while pay shows the action of giving the money.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- trả tiền
- Spanish
- pagar
- Chinese
- 支付
- Japanese
- 払う
- Korean
- 지불하다
Etymology
Pay comes from Old French payer, from Latin pacare, meaning 'to pacify' or 'settle'. The sense of settling a debt developed in Middle English.
Common phrases
pay the billpay rentpay attentionpay a fine
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between pay and spend?
- Pay means to give money to someone or for something. Spend means to use money on something.
- Is pay a formal word?
- No, pay is very common in everyday English. It is also fine in business and academic writing.
- Can pay be a noun?
- Yes. As a noun, pay means money earned for work.
- What does pay attention mean?
- It means to listen carefully or notice something closely.