pay somebody back

Từ điển tiếng Anh - Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary

▪ I. pay sb back phrasal verb [ paid sb back paid sb back paid sb back pays sb back paying sb back ]
to do something unpleasant to someone because they have done something unpleasant to you
• He swore he'd pay her back for all she'd done to him.
Thesaurus⁺: ↑Revenge and vengefulness
Main entry: pay_{phrasal verb}
 
▪ II. pay sb/sth back phrasal verb before or after object [ paid sb/sth back paid sb/sth back paid sb/sth back pays sb/sth back paying sb/sth back ]
<A > to pay someone the money that you owe them
• Can you lend me a fiver? I'll pay you/it back tomorrow.
Thesaurus⁺: ↑Borrowing, lending and debt
 
• He still hasn't paid me back that money he owes me.
• If I could borrow twenty pounds I'll pay you back next week.
• She lent me some money last month and I forgot to pay her back.
• They promised to pay me back and they never did.
• I have borrowed money from people in the past but I've always paid them back.
Main entry: pay_{phrasal verb}