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Phrasal Verbs

pay back (2)

This page is about the phrasal verb pay back (2)

Meaning

If you pay someone back for doing something bad to you, you do something bad to them in return.

Synonym

get back at

For example

  • pay sb back Jim was angry after I fired him and he said he'd pay me back one day.

  • pay sb back for sth The kid who shot fifteen students in his high school said he was paying them back for all their insults and put-downs.

Quick Quiz

Ian said he was going to pay Harry back for telling the police that he was

a. innocent

b. guilty

c. not involved
a) innocent b) guilty c) not involved

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1000 Phrasal Verbs in Context

Contributor: Matt Errey