pay-as-you-earnˈ noun

A method of income tax collection in which the employer deducts tax from earnings before paying the employee (abbrev PAYE)

pay-as-you-goˈ adjective

1. (of mobile phones) denoting that the user, the outright purchaser of the phone, pays only for calls made, using credit bought in advance
2. (of other services, eg the Internet) denoting that charges are made only when the service is used

payback see pay back below.

payback period noun (economics)

The length of time a project will take to recover its initial outlay

pay bed noun

A bed, specif in a National Health Service hospital, available to a patient who pays for its use (private pay bed one available to a patient who pays for its use and for his or her own treatment; cf amenity bed)

payˈ-bill or payˈ-sheet noun

A statement of money to be paid to workmen, etc

payˈ-box or payˈ-desk noun

A box or desk at which a customer pays

payday noun

A regular day for payment, eg of wages

payday lender noun

A company that provides payday loans (see below)

payday loan noun

A short-term, high-interest loan, to be repaid on the borrower's next payday

pay dirt noun

1. Gravel or sand containing enough gold to be worth working (also pay gravel)
2. A source of riches

pay envelope noun (N American)

Pay packet

payˈfone same as payphone below.

paying guest noun (euphemistic)

A lodger

paylist see payroll below.

payˈload noun

1. That part of the cargo of an aeroplane or other conveyance for which revenue is obtained
2. The part of a rocket's equipment that is to fulfil the purpose of the rocket, such as a warhead, or apparatus for obtaining information

payˈmaster noun

1. The master who pays
2. The official in an organization, government, etc who pays out money

Paymaster General noun

1. The minister at the head of a department of the Treasury that makes payments on behalf of government departments
2. In the navy, an officer in charge of the bureau dealing with payments, clothing, etc (US)
3. Formerly also a similar officer in the army (US)

payment card noun

A credit card

payˈ-off noun

1. (time of) payment esp of a reward or punishment
2. Outcome
3. A particularly useful or desirable result
4. Dénouement

payˈ-office noun

The place where payments are made

pay-out see pay out below.

pay packet noun

1. An envelope containing a person's wages
2. Wages

pay-per-click noun

A form of Internet advertising in which the advertiser pays according to the number of clicks made by users on the advertisement (also adjective)

pay-per-viewˈ noun

A form of pay television (qv below) in which viewers use a smart card to gain access to the service (also adjective)

payˈphone noun

A coin- or card-operated public telephone

payˈroll noun

1. The money for paying wages
2. (also payˈlist) a list of people entitled to receive pay, with the amounts due to each
3. A computer program for calculating wages

payroll giving noun

Contributions to charity which are deducted from one's wages and paid by one's employer directly to the charity concerned

payˈslip noun

A note to a worker (giving an analysis) of the sum paid in wages

pay station noun (US)

A telephone call-box

pay television or pay TV noun

Satellite or cable television available to subscribers

payˈwall noun

An arrangement allowing access to a website only to users who have paid to subscribe to it

in the pay of

Receiving payment from in return for services, used esp in a sinister sense

pay back

1. To pay in return (a debt)
2. To give tit for tat (payˈback noun)

pay cash

To pay for something at the time of the transaction, ie not using credit terms

pay down

1. To pay (eg a first instalment) in cash on the spot
2. To pay back debt

pay for

1. To make amends for
2. To suffer for
3. To bear the expense of

pay in

1. To contribute to a fund
2. To deposit money in a bank account

pay off

1. To pay in full and discharge (a debt, an employee, etc)
2. To take revenge upon
3. To requite
4. To fall away to leeward (nautical)
5. To yield good results, justify itself (see also pay-off above)

pay one's (or its) way

1. To have or bring enough to pay expenses
2. To compensate adequately for initial outlay

pay out

1. To release (a rope, etc) gradually, to feed or run out
2. To disburse (payˈ-out noun)
3. To punish deservedly

pay round

To turn the ship's head

pay the piper see under pipe¹

pay through the nose

To pay more than the fair price, to pay dearly

pay up

1. To pay in full
2. To pay arrears
3. To pay (for) in instalments
4. To accept the necessity and pay
5. To pay on demand