pay back

British  

verb

1. to retaliate against

   to pay someone back for an insult

2. to give or do (something equivalent) in return for a favour, insult, etc

3. to repay (a loan)

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noun

1. 1. the return on an investment

   2. Also called: payback period.  the time taken for a project to cover its outlay

2. 1. something done in order to gain revenge

   2. ( as modifier )

      payback killings

pay back Idioms  

1. Repay a debt or a loan, as in I'll pay you back next month .

2. Also, pay back in someone's own coin . Revenge oneself, repay in kind, as in He thought he could get away with copying my plans, but I'll pay him back in his own coin . This expression refers to repaying a debt in exactly the same currency in which the money had been lent. [c. 1600]

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Example Sentences

Shares of Deutsche Bank, a major European financial institution founded 153 years ago, fell as much as 15 percent Friday morning even though the bank said it would pay back one of its riskier bonds.

From Washington Post

The tumult has left some institutions looking for a ready source of cash — either to pay back customers or to make sure they have enough money on hand to weather a rough patch.

From New York Times

Almost half of the state's revenue goes towards paying back these debts, which amount to 90% of GDP.

From BBC

Mr. Biden said the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation should be able to force executives at a broader range of banks to pay back compensation if their banks fail.

From Washington Times

“If they are middle class or rich, maybe their families can afford it. But the poor people cannot. This is injustice, and if they borrow, it takes them so long to pay back.”

From New York Times

Related Words

• adjust
• compensate
• recoup
• redeem
• reimburse
• relinquish
• remit
• repay