paying out

Verb

pay out (third-person singular simple present pays out, present participle paying out, simple past and past participle paid out or (nautical sense, rare) payed out)

1. To distribute money; to disburse.
   • Since 2016, the bank has reviewed 165 million accounts, contacted more than 40 million customers and payed out millions in compensation, Sloan said in his opening statement submitted to the House Financial Services Committee on Monday.2019 March 11, Imani Moise, “Wells Fargo CEO to detail customer remediation to U.S. Congress”, in Meredith Mazzilli, editor, Reuters, archived from the original on 27 Oct 2022, REGULATORY NEWS -...
2. (transitive) To slacken a rope by lengthening it; to allow a rope to run out.
3. (intransitive) To slacken by lengthening.
   • If a fisherman gets his foot ensnared in a rope that is rapidly paying out, he will be dragged over and drowned almost before anyone realizes he is overboard.1997, Mark Kurlansky, Cod, page 117
4. To repay, take revenge.
   • The pigeon, very offended, flew back to the Bird Woman and, to pay out Mary Poppins, stuck the rose in the ribbon of the Bird Woman's hat.1934, P[amela] L[yndon] Travers, “The Bird Woman”, in Mary Poppins (Mary Poppins; 1), London: Gerald Howe Ltd […], →OCLC, page 108
5. To give someone their just desserts.
6. (Australia, informal, transitive) To make fun of or insult, often in a teasing manner.
   • Last weekend, Robin accidentally tried to interview someone after having one too many wines and of course, we paid her out for it.2021, Anthony Cuda, “Robin's Son Joins The Show To Dob Her In For The Hilarious Things She Does When She's Drunk!”, in KIIS 97.3, archived from the original on 28 Dec 2022