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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Pay: Meanings, Examples, and Common Usage (3 meaning)

Meaning 1：give money for goods or service (pay)

pay 🔊

/peɪ/

To give someone money for something you buy or for a service you receive.

Pay meaning: hand using smartphone to scan QR code for payment at café

give money for goods or service 🔊

➕

/ɡɪv ˈmʌni fɔːr ɡʊdz ɔːr ˈsɜːrvɪs/

To hand over money in exchange for something you buy or a service you receive.

📁 Category：Social Economy 🔖 Level：Beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'pacare' (to pacify), from 'pax' (peace); sense shifted from appeasing to compensating.

💡 Mnemonic

Think: 'Pay' sounds like 'peace' – you bring peace by settling what you owe.

📖 Example

I need to pay for my coffee before I leave the café. 🔊 I need to pay for my coffee before I leave the café.

🔗 Collocations

pay for something – give money in exchange for something

pay in cash – pay using physical money

pay a bill – settle a statement of charges

🔄 Synonyms

settle (v.) – to pay all of what is owed

cover (v.) – to be enough money to pay for something

remit (v.) – to send money as payment (formal)

🚫 Antonyms

owe (v.) – to have a financial obligation to pay

receive (v.) – to get money instead of giving it

🌱 Derivatives

payment (n.) – the act of paying or amount paid

payer (n.) – person who pays

payable (adj.) – required to be paid

📖 Cultural Story

Originates from Latin 'pacare' meaning 'to pacify' or 'appease,' as settling debts brought peace. In medieval times, 'pay' became standard for financial transactions.

Meaning 2：give attention/effort as cost (pay)

pay 🔊

/peɪ/

To give something, like attention, effort, or time, as the price for something or as a consequence of an action.

Pay meaning: determined student studying late at night with focused expression

give attention/effort as cost 🔊

➕

/ɡɪv əˈtenʃn ˈefərt æz kɔːst/

To offer something intangible like focus, hard work, or time as the price for achieving a result or avoiding a penalty.

📁 Category：Behaviors & Actions 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

If you want to get into a good university, you have to pay attention in class and study hard. 🔊 If you want to get into a good university, you have to pay attention in class and study hard.

🔗 Collocations

pay attention – to watch or listen carefully

pay a price – to suffer as a consequence

pay respects – to show honor or courtesy

🔄 Synonyms

devote (v.) – to give time or effort to something

render (v.) – to give something due or required (formal)

offer (v.) – to present something for acceptance

🚫 Antonyms

withhold (v.) – to refuse to give something

ignore (v.) – to refuse to pay attention to

🌱 Derivatives

payoff (n.) – a beneficial result or reward

payback (n.) – return of money or revenge

Meaning 3：be worthwhile or beneficial (pay)

pay 🔊

/peɪ/

To be worthwhile or beneficial; to bring a good result or advantage for the effort or money spent.

Pay meaning: satisfied customer smiling with durable backpack in park

be worthwhile or beneficial 🔊

➕

/biː ˈwɜːrθwaɪl ɔːr ˌbenɪˈfɪʃl/

To provide a good result or advantage that justifies the original cost or effort, often over time.

📁 Category：Social Economy 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

Buying a good quality backpack might be expensive, but it pays in the long run because it lasts for years. 🔊 Buying a good quality backpack might be expensive, but it pays in the long run because it lasts for years.

🔗 Collocations

pay off – to result in success or become profitable

pay dividends – to bring long-term benefits

it pays to do something – it is advantageous to do something

🔄 Synonyms

benefit (v.) – to receive an advantage

reward (v.) – to give something good in return

repay (v.) – to provide a return for effort

🚫 Antonyms

waste (v.) – to use something with no benefit

lose (v.) – to fail to get a return

🌱 Derivatives

payoff (n.) – the benefit gained from an effort

payday (n.) – day when one receives reward or wages