pay outverb

• 1

  To distribute money; to disburse.

  • Since 2016, the bank has reviewed 165 million accounts, contacted more than 40 million customers and payed out millions in compensation, Sloan said in his opening statement submitted to the House Financial Services Committee on Monday.
• 2

  nauticaltransportTo slacken a rope by lengthening it; to allow a rope to run out.

• 3

  To slacken by lengthening.

  • If a fisherman gets his foot ensnared in a rope that is rapidly paying out, he will be dragged over and drowned almost before anyone realizes he is overboard.
• 4

  To repay, take revenge.

  • The pigeon, very offended, flew back to the Bird Woman and, to pay out Mary Poppins, stuck the rose in the ribbon of the Bird Woman's hat.
• 5

  To give someone their just desserts.

• 6

  informalTo make fun of or insult, often in a teasing manner.

  • Last weekend, Robin accidentally tried to interview someone after having one too many wines and of course, we paid her out for it.
  • My wife and the other boys pay me out because the bike would just sit in the shed, but that’s where I spend most of my time.