Pays vs. Pay — What's the Difference?

To give money to in return for goods or services rendered

To give money to in return for goods or services rendered

To give (money) in exchange for goods or services

To give (money) in exchange for goods or services

To discharge or settle (a debt or obligation)

To discharge or settle (a debt or obligation)

To bear (a cost or penalty, for example) in recompense

To bear (a cost or penalty, for example) in recompense

To yield as a return

To yield as a return

To afford an advantage to; profit

To afford an advantage to; profit

To give or bestow

To give or bestow

To make (a visit or call).

To make (a visit or call).

Past tense and past participle paidor payed (pād) To let out (a line or cable) by slackening.

Past tense and past participle paidor payed (pād) To let out (a line or cable) by slackening.

To give money in exchange for goods or services.

To give money in exchange for goods or services.

To discharge a debt or obligation.

To discharge a debt or obligation.

To bear a cost or penalty in recompense

To bear a cost or penalty in recompense

To be profitable or worthwhile

To be profitable or worthwhile

To coat or cover (seams of a ship, for example) with waterproof material such as tar or asphalt.

To coat or cover (seams of a ship, for example) with waterproof material such as tar or asphalt.

Of, relating to, giving, or receiving payments.

Of, relating to, giving, or receiving payments.

Requiring payment to use or operate

Requiring payment to use or operate

Yielding valuable metal in mining

Yielding valuable metal in mining

The act of paying or state of being paid.

The act of paying or state of being paid.

Money given in return for work done; salary; wages.

Money given in return for work done; salary; wages.

Recompense or reward

Recompense or reward

Retribution or punishment.

Retribution or punishment.

Paid employment

Paid employment

A person considered with regard to that person's credit or reliability in discharging debts.

A person considered with regard to that person's credit or reliability in discharging debts.

Plural of pay

(transitive) To give money or other compensation to in exchange for goods or services.

(ambitransitive) To discharge, as a debt or other obligation, by giving or doing what is due or required.

(transitive) To be profitable for.

(transitive) To give (something else than money).

(intransitive) To be profitable or worth the effort.

(intransitive) To discharge an obligation or debt.

(intransitive) To suffer consequences.

(transitive) To admit that a joke, punchline, etc., was funny.

To cover (the bottom of a vessel, a seam, a spar, etc.) with tar or pitch, or a waterproof composition of tallow, resin, etc.; to smear.

Money given in return for work; salary or wages.

Operable or accessible on deposit of coins.

Pertaining to or requiring payment.

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.

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.

Hence, figuratively: To compensate justly; to requite according to merit; to reward; to punish; to retort or retaliate upon.

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).

To discharge or fulfill, as a duy; to perform or render duty, as that which has been promised.

To give or offer, without an implied obligation; as, to pay attention; to pay a visit.

To give a recompense; to make payment, requital, or satisfaction; to discharge a debt.

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.

Satisfaction; content.

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.

Something that remunerates;

Give money, usually in exchange for goods or services;

Convey, as of a compliment, regards, attention, etc.; bestow;

Do or give something to somebody in return;

Bear (a cost or penalty), in recompense for some action;

Cancel or discharge a debt;

Bring in;

Render;

Be worth it;

Dedicate;

Discharge or settle;

Make a compensation for;