What are the definitions of “pay up”?
Learn how to use these expressions through these examples
- 1To pay a debt or amount owed, especially when it is reluctantly or under pressure.
At any rate, there's enough doubt now so that I can tell Montagu not to pay up, which is all I care about.
What’s the most common meaning of the phrasal verb “pay up”?
The most common meaning of the phrasal verb pay up is to pay a debt or amount owed, especially when it is reluctantly or under pressure. It often implies that the person paying the money is doing so because they have no other choice or are being forced to do so.
What are the different verb forms of “pay up”?
| Root Verb | pay up |
| Third Person Singular Present | pays up |
| Present Participle | paying up |
| Simple Past | paid up |
| Past Participle | paid up |
Example
He needs to pay up before the deadline.
Example
She always pays up her debts on time.
Example
He is paying up the money he owes to his friend.
Example
They paid up their overdue bills last month.
Example
The debt has been paid up in full.
What kind of phrasal verb is “pay up”?
Notes from a Native English Speaker
What is a transitive and intransitive verb? - A transitive verb always has an object after it. (Example: Sam bought a car.) - An intransitive verb never has an object.(Example: She laughed loudly.)
Intransitive verb
“pay up” is an intransitive phrasal verb because it doesn't require an object to complete its meaning. It forms a complete sentence without an object.
Example
He finally paid up after months of avoiding the debt.
Example
She paid up when the landlord threatened eviction.
Notes from a Native English Speaker
What is a separable and inseparable phrasal verb? - A “separable phrasal verb” can be separated with an object between the verb and particle. - An “inseparable phrasal verb” cannot be separated by an object.
Inseparable
“pay up” is an inseparable phrasal verb. This means that you can’t place an object between the verb and the particle, otherwise, it changes the meaning of the phrasal verb.
Example
He finally paid up after months of avoiding the debt.
Example
She paid up when the landlord threatened eviction.
What are common phrases and expressions that include the phrasal verb “pay up”?
Good things to know
Does “pay up” have an informal or formal tone?
Pay up is a neutral to informal phrasal verb. It is commonly used in everyday conversations and can also be used in more formal settings depending on the context. For example, in a legal or financial context, it may be appropriate to use pay up when discussing the repayment of a debt.
