Akademik

pay back
verb
1. act or give recompense in recognition of someone's behavior or actions
• Syn: ↑reward, ↑repay
• Derivationally related forms: ↑reward (for: ↑reward)
• Hypernyms: ↑act, ↑move
• Verb Frames:
-

Somebody ——s something

-

Somebody ——s somebody

-

Somebody ——s somebody with something

2. take vengeance on or get even
-

We'll get them!

-

That'll fix him good!

-

This time I got him

• Syn: ↑pay off, ↑get, ↑fix
• Derivationally related forms: ↑payback
• Hypernyms: ↑get even, ↑get back
• Verb Group: ↑pay
• Verb Frames:
-

Somebody ——s somebody

-

Somebody ——s somebody PP

* * *

pay back [phrasal verb]
1 pay back (something) or pay (something) back : to return (an amount of money) that someone allowed you to borrow

She has to pay back the $100 she borrowed.

He said that he'll pay the money back tomorrow.

paying back a loan

2 pay (someone) back or pay back (someone)
2 a : to give (someone) the amount of money that you borrowed

I'll pay you back when I get the money.

I lent him money and he never paid me back.

I have to pay back my sister for that loan.

2 b : to punish or hurt (someone who did something bad to you)

I wanted to pay him back [=get back at him; make him suffer] for all the pain he caused me.

He's finally getting paid back for all the trouble he caused.

— see also ↑payback
2 c : to do something good for (someone who did something good for you)

How can I pay you back for all your help?

• • •
Main Entry: ↑pay

Useful english dictionary. 2012.