What does "repay" mean?

1. (to pay back money) to give back money that you have borrowed from a person or a bank. 2. (to return a favour) to do something good for someone because they were kind or helpful to you in the past. 3. (to be worth the effort) to be worth the time or work you put into something because the result is good. 4. (to coat with tar again) to cover a surface, like the bottom of a wooden boat, with tar or pitch for a second time.

How do you use "repay"?

Often used with 'loan', 'debt', or 'mortgage'. Commonly collocates with 'kindness', 'generosity', or 'hospitality'. Specific to nautical maintenance and traditional shipbuilding.

repay

US //ɹiˈpeɪ// UK //ɹɪpˈeɪ// re·pay

Irregular verb past repaid past participle repaid

1 to pay back money (v.)
B1 Intermediate

to give back money that you have borrowed from a person or a bank.

to refund or pay back a debt or loan. Transitive, requiring a direct object representing the amount or the creditor.

Example

He promised to repay the loan in full by the end of the year.

Example

The borrower is legally obligated to repay the principal amount along with any accrued interest according to the agreed schedule.

Usage

Often used with 'loan', 'debt', or 'mortgage'.
- borrow
- default
2 to return a favour (v.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

to do something good for someone because they were kind or helpful to you in the past.

to requite or reward a person for a service, kindness, or injury. Transitive, often taking the person as the object.

Example

I hope I can repay your kindness one day.

Example

She felt a strong desire to repay her mentor's guidance by achieving success in her own academic career.

Usage

Commonly collocates with 'kindness', 'generosity', or 'hospitality'.
- reciprocate
- reward
- requite

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3 to be worth the effort (v.)
C1 Advanced Formal

to be worth the time or work you put into something because the result is good.

to yield a return or result that justifies the effort or attention expended.

Example

The beautiful view from the top of the mountain will repay your hard work.

Example

The historical documents are difficult to read, but they will repay careful study by providing unique insights into the period.

Teacher's tip

This sense is more common in formal writing and literature than in everyday conversation.
- reward
- compensate
4 to coat with tar again (v.)
C2 Proficiency Technical Science

to cover a surface, like the bottom of a wooden boat, with tar or pitch for a second time.

to apply a fresh coat of tar, pitch, or similar waterproof material to a surface, typically a ship's hull.

Example

The sailors had to repay the deck to keep the water out.

Example

Maintenance of the vintage vessel required the crew to periodically repay the seams with hot pitch to ensure it remained seaworthy.

Usage

Specific to nautical maintenance and traditional shipbuilding.
- recoat
- reseal

Origin

From Old French repaier (“to pay back”), from re- + paiier (“to pay”), from Latin pācāre (“to settle, to make peaceful”), from pāx (“peace”) + -ō (forming verbs). Equivalent to re- + pay. Cognate with repacify and French repayer (“to pay again”).

Word family

Verbrepay
Nounrepayment