pay out
Britishverb
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to distribute (money); disburse
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(tr) to release (a rope) gradually, hand over hand
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(tr) to retaliate against
noun
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Distribute money, disburse, as in He paid out the full amount . [Mid-1800s]
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Let out a rope by slackening, as in She paid out the rope until it was long enough to tie the canoe onto the car . This nautical expression dates from the late 1700s.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It would also be financially costly, as the government would have to pay out dairy farmers through a compensation package that some estimate to be in the billions.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
The aggressive investment products are tailored to pay out twice the profits of a single stock but also twice the losses, and have been criticised for exposing retail investors to market hype and volatility.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
Kalshi was sued by its traders after it initially refused to pay out winnings, citing its policy against “assassination” bets.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
Susquehanna alleged that the mystery traders cashed in on their inside information by buying large quantities of bearish put options that would pay out if the price of Futu and UP Fintech stock dropped.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026
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.
From "Mary Poppins" by P. L. Travers
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
