pause on . think about思考
Let me pause on these matters be fore I make a decision．在做出决定之前让我想一下。
pave the way . make preparations准备
A good education paves the way to success．良好的教育为成功奠定基础。
Aviation paved the way for space travel．航空为太空旅行铺平了道路。
pay a visit to . call on 访问
I paid a visit to Mr．and Mrs．Smith yesterday afternoon．昨天下午我去拜访了史密斯夫妇。
pay as one goes . pay cash；pay at once当场付清；银货两讫
It is best to pay as you go；then you will not have to worry about paying debts later．最好能当场付清，这样就不必担心日后负债了。
pay attention to . place importance on注意
Please pay attention to the use of this word．请注意这个词的用法。
Economists are paying close attention to the latest developments in the Middle East．经济学家们正密切注视着中东的最新发展。
Pay attention to uniting and working with those who differ with you．注意团结那些和自己意见不同的人一道工作。
pay back . return punishment报复
He paid me back by not coming．他采取不来的方式向我报复。
We'll pay them back for their insults one day．总有一天，我们将对他们的恶意中伤进行报复。
pay back . return money 还钱；还债
I'm certain that he will pay back every cent he owes you．我敢肯定他会分文不差地把欠款还给你。
pay down . pay in cash；pay on the spot付现款；当场支付
She paid the money down and took the goods．她当场付了钱，并取走了货物。
pay down . pay（part of the purchase price）at the time of purchase as a deposit 先支付（部分货款）
How much did you have to pay down on the car? 你买这部汽车得先付多少货款?
You pay down only ten dollars and then you pay five dollars a month for eight months．你只需先付十美元，然后分八个月每月付五美元。
pay for . give money for付钱
I have paid for these pens．我已付过这些钢笔的钱了。
You pay for it at the time you order it ．你订购时就得付款。
pay for . have trouble because of因…而付出代价
When Bob could not get a good job，he realized he had to pay for all the years of fooling around instead of working hard in school．当鲍勃找不到理想的工作时，他意识到了这些年来他游手好闲，在学校不用心读书，因而得付出代价。
If you don't work now， you'll pay for it later when you fail your exams．你现在不好好学，到考试不及格时就得为此而付出代价。
pay off . pay the wages of付工资
The men were paid off just before the holiday．刚好放假前，这些人领到了工资。
They're usually paid off at weekends．他们一般在周末领工资。
pay off . discharge a debt completely偿清（债务）
It took them three years to pay off their debts．他们付了3年才付清了债务。
You must pay off your old loan before you can obtain a new one．你必须还清旧债才能再借款。
pay off . be rewarding有报偿
John studied hard before the examination，and it paid off．约翰考试前学习很刻苦，因而得到了回报。
It has been rather costly to install the machinery， but it should pay off in the long run．安装机械的代价很高，但从长远看是划算的。
pay off . pay and discharge from a job发薪遣散
The manager paid off the redundant employees．经理将冗员的工资付清后把他们解雇了。
The whole ship's crew were paid off at the end of the voyage．远航结束时全船员工拿到工资后就被遣散了。
pay off . get revenge on报复；报仇
You'll be paid off for negligence．你将因失职而受到处罚。
Joel wanted to pad William off for backbiting him．乔尔因威廉在背后说他坏话而要对他进行报复。
pay off . give money to somebody to stop him from threatening给（某人）钱使其不做危害自己的事；贿赂
He agreed to pay the gang off if they promised not to burn down his shop．如果匪徒们答应不烧毁他的商店，他同意给他们钱。
The inspector won't be paid off to let that go through．检查员是不会受贿而让那件事通过的。
pay one's way . pay one's daily expenses without going into debt 付清日常消费；不负债
I paid my way through college by acting as a guide．我靠当导游自己负担上大学期间的全部费用。
He earns barely enough money to pay his way．他赚钱仅足糊口。
pay one's way . meet one's obligations尽自己的责任
He is useful and good natured；he is a man who pays his way．他很能干，个性又好，是一个尽职的人。
pay one's way . be profitable；be valuable to an employer有盈利；值得雇佣
We had to offer our new manager a high salary， but he was a capable man and paid his way．我们只得给新经理高薪，不过他很能干，请他值得。
It will take time for the restaurant to begin paying its way．这家餐馆还要经营一段时间才能盈利。
pay out . give money付出钱
You can either draw the money in monthly installments until it is exhausted，or you can be paid out here and now．你可以把钱分月提取，直到取完为止，也可以当场一次提完。
He must have paid fifty dollars out on repairing that house this month．他这个月一定已经付了50美元来修理这所房子。
pay out . take revenge on向…报复
Wrongdoers are usually paid out in the end．干坏事的人通常到最后会受到惩罚。
I've paid him out for the trick he played on me．他捉弄了我，我已进行了报复。
pay out . cause a rope， cable， to run through one's hands放松；放出（绳子）
The kite climbed steadily higher until there was no more string to pay out．风筝平稳地越飞越高，直到手上再也放不出线来。
The fish which was hooked darted away so rapidly that we were obliged to pay out the line fast．我们钓住的那条鱼逃得很急，我们只好加快速度放长钓线。