Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц

[pay off]{v. phr.} 1. To pay the wages of. •/The men were paid off just before quitting time, the last day before the holiday./ 2. To pay and discharge from a job. •/When the building was completed he paid off the laborers./ 3. To hurt (someone) who has done wrong to you; get revenge on. •/When Bob tripped Dick, Dick paid Bob off by punching him in the nose./ Syn.: PAY BACK. 4. {informal} To bring a return; make profit. •/At first Mr. Harrison lost money on his investments, but finally one paid off./ 5. {informal} To prove successful, rewarding, or worthwhile. •/Ben’s friendship with the old man who lived beside him paid off in pleasant hours and broadened interests./ •/John studied hard before the examination, and it paid off. He made an A./

[pay one a left-handed compliment] See: LEFT-HANDED COMPLIMENT.

[pay one back in his own coin]{v. phr.} To retaliate. •/Jim refused to help Bob when he needed it most, so Bob decided to pay him back in his own coin and told him to go and look for help elsewhere./

[pay one’s respect to]{v. phr.} To discharge one’s social obligations by visiting someone or by calling them on the phone. •/The newly arrived people paid their respects to their various neighbors during their first couple of weeks in town./

[pay one’s way]{v. phr.} 1. To pay in cash or labor for your expenses. •/He paid his way by acting as a guide./ 2. To be profitable; earn as much as you cost someone; be valuable to an employer; to yield a return above expenses. •/The bigger truck paid its way from the start./ •/We had to offer our new manager a large salary, but he was a capable man, and paid his way./ Compare: WORTH ONE’S SALT.

[pay out] See: PAY OFF.

[pay the piper] or [pay the fiddler]{v. phr.} To suffer the results of being foolish; pay or suffer because of your foolish acts or wasting money. •/Bob had spent all his money and got into debt, so now he must pay the piper./ •/Fred had a fight, broke a window, and quarreled with his counselor so now he must pay the fiddler./ Compare: PACE THE MUSIC(2). (From the proverb "He who dances must pay the piper (or the fiddler).")

[pay through the nose]{v. phr.}, {informal} To pay at a very high rate; pay too much. •/He had wanted experience, but this job seemed like paying through the nose for it./ •/There was a shortage of cars; if you found one for sale, you had to pay through the nose./

[pay up]{v.} To pay in full; pay the amount of; pay what is owed. •/The monthly installments on the car were paid up./ •/He pays his dues up promptly./ •/He gets behind when he is out of work but always pays up when he is working again./

[peace] See: HOLD ONE’S PEACE.

[pearl] See: CAST PEARLS BEFORE SWINE or CAST ONE’S PEARLS BEFORE SWINE.

[pebble] See: NOT THE ONLY PEBBLE ON THE BEACH.

[peck] See: HUNT AND PECK.

[pecking order]{n.} The way people are ranked in relation to each other (for honor, privilege, or power); status classification; hierarchy. •/After the president was in office several months, his staff developed a pecking order./

[pedestal] See: ON A PEDESTAL.

[peel] See: KEEP ONE’S EYES PEELED.