[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/payback/)

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# payback

noun (payback; a payback)

«payback» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Payback is revenge: doing something bad to someone because they did something bad to you. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/payback/#m1)
2. Payback is also money paid back, or the time it takes to earn back the money you spent on something. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/payback/#m2)

### In the lessons

In stories «payback» often means a character getting even, and the story usually shows that revenge is not a good answer. In money and maths, the «payback time» is how long until savings or earnings cover what you spent. Phrases: «it's payback time», «as payback for».

### Examples

- The villain said, «It's payback time!» [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/payback/#x1)
- He hid her shoes as payback for the prank. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/payback/#x2)
- Getting payback usually makes a fight worse, not better. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/payback/#x3)
- The solar panels have a payback time of eight years. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/payback/#x4)
- Our teacher said kindness is better than payback. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/payback/#x5)
- The payback on the lemonade stand came after we sold twenty cups. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/payback/#x6)

### Note

Mostly uncountable, informal. Written as one word. «Pay back» (two words) is the verb: «I'll pay you back on Friday». In a money problem, payback time = cost ÷ savings per year (or per week).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «payback» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/payback/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«payback» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/payback.html) on Mova free.