wage

[weyj]

noun

1. Often wages. money that is paid or received for work or services, as by the hour, day, or week.

   Synonyms: remuneration, compensation, emolument, earnings

2. Economics.,  Usually wages. the share of the products of industry received by labor for its work (as distinct from the share going to capital).

3. (used with a singular or plural verb),  Usually wages. recompense or return.

   The wages of sin is death.

4. Obsolete.,  a pledge or security.

verb (used with object)

waged, waging 

1. to carry on (a battle, war, conflict, argument, etc.).

   to wage war against a nation.

   Synonyms: prosecute, undertake

2. Chiefly British Dialect.,  to hire.

3. Obsolete.

   1. to stake or wager.

   2. to pledge.

verb (used without object)

waged, waging 

1. Obsolete.,  to contend; struggle.

wage

/ weɪdʒ /

noun

1. 1. (often plural) payment in return for work or services, esp that made to workmen on a daily, hourly, weekly, or piece-work basis Compare salary

   2. ( as modifier )

      wage freeze

2. (plural) economics the portion of the national income accruing to labour as earned income, as contrasted with the unearned income accruing to capital in the form of rent, interest, and dividends

3. (often plural) recompense, return, or yield

4. an obsolete word for pledge

verb

1. to engage in

2. obsolete,  to pledge or wager

3. archaic,  another word for hire hire

Other Word Forms

• wagelessness noun
• wageless adjective
• underwage noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of wage¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; (noun) Middle English: “pledge, security,” from Anglo-French; Old French guage gage ¹, from unattested Vulgar Latin wadium, from Germanic ( wed ); (verb) Middle English wagen “to pledge,” from Anglo-French wagier; Old French guagier, from unattested Vulgar Latin wadiāre, derivative of wadium

Word History and Origins

Origin of wage¹

C14: from Old Northern French wagier to pledge, from wage, of Germanic origin; compare Old English weddian to pledge, _wed

Synonym Study

See pay ¹.

Example Sentences

It will work with private companies, with the government anticipating businesses would cover at least some of the wages for job placements.

From BBC

"I haven't been on wages for the past two weeks. I'm now dipping into savings, money that I've squirreled away for retirement, with no insight into exactly when this will be over."

From BBC

"I managed to cope with the wages I had coming in but all my money was going on rent and bills," he said.

From BBC

Even as Moscow wages war on Moldova's neighbour, Ukraine, the former president has three pictures of Russian leader Vladimir Putin among the gallery of photos on his office wall.

From BBC

Digital ID is being sold by Downing Street as a way of reducing illegal working by migrants who do not have the right to earn wages in Britain.

From BBC