pay up

pay | Business English

pay
verb
uk /peɪ/uspaid | paid
[ I or T ]
to give money to someone for a product or service:
pay for sthWho paid for the meal?
pay sb to do sthWe'll need to pay a builder to take this wall down.
pay sb for sthHow much did they pay you for the computer?
pay sb for doing sthDid the company pay you for doing the quote?
pay in/with sthThey paid for the car in cash.
pay to do sthI paid a lot of money to get the washing machine fixed and it still doesn't work!
pay a depositYou will need to pay a small deposit if you want us to keep the radio for you.
pay by cash/cheque/credit card
 pay for itself
if something pays for itself, it works so well that it saves the same amount of money that it cost:
The renewable energy system will have paid for itself within ten years.
[ I or T ]
to give money to someone for work that they have done:
He hates his job, but at least it pays well.
Most of these women are very poorly paid and work in terrible conditions.
pay $20/€50/£5, etc. for sthThey pay $30 an hour for editing work.
I don't get paid until the end of the month.
[ T ]
to give someone money that you owe them:
pay bills/rentI haven't got enough money to pay the rent this month.
pay a debt/fineHe was ordered by the court to pay a $100,000 fine.
Will I have to pay income tax on any monies I receive?
pay sb sthWe haven't yet paid the contractor what we owe him for the work.
[ I ] COMMERCE
if a business pays, it produces a profit:
make sth payThe cinema will be closed down at the end of October, as it has failed to attract enough patrons to make it pay.
[ I ]
to give an advantage to someone or something:
pay to do sthWhen it comes to your retirement, it doesn't pay to take too many risks.
[ T ] FINANCE
if a bank account or an investment pays a particular amount of money or interest, the person who owns it will receive that amount of money or interest:
The account will pay 4% gross on credit balances.
pay interest/a returnThe bank will pay interest if your account is in credit.
 pay dividends
if something you do pays dividends, it has good results at a time in the future:
The company found that the extra training really did pay dividends.
 pay its way
if a business pays its way, it makes at least the same amount of money as it costs to operate:
When Swan Lake reached the West End, there had to be eight performances a week for the production to pay its way.
 pay over the odds (for sth)UKinformal
to pay more for something than it is really worth:
Small businesses have always paid over the odds for office supplies.
 pay the price
to experience the bad result of something you have done or that someone else has done:
It is inexcusable for students to be paying the price for backroom deals in the student loan industry.
 pay through the nose (for sth)informal
to pay too much money for something:
There's no point in getting a bargain flight only to pay through the nose for car hire.
 pay top dollar (for sth)US
to pay a lot of money for something:
Many wealthy businessmen are prepared to pay top dollar for an exclusive property in this area.
 pay your way
to pay for yourself rather than allowing someone else to pay:
I got a part-time job to help pay my way through university.

Phrasal verbs