Pay out

pay out to pay a sum of money to somebody, especially a large sum

Synonym: shell out pay sth out If you win the lottery, they’ll pay the money out in instalments over several years. pay out sth Most insurance companies will try to find any reason they can to avoid paying out claims to their customers.

Nouns often used as objects with pay out: award, compensation, prize money, winnings, reward, lump sum, insurance claim

1. Insurance companies sometimes try to avoid paying out claims because they want to a. help their customers b. increase their profits c. make large losses

pay up If somebody pays up, they pay money they owe to someone even though they don’t really want to.

Synonym: cough up (informal)

Brett lost RM500 playing pool in a bar, and if he hadn’t paid up he would have been in big trouble. The mafia demands protection money from small businesses, and if someone doesn’t pay up they’ll be attacked and maybe even killed.

2. After the fire, it took the insurance company a long time to pay up the money a. I owed them b. they owed me c. they made us

pick on If you pick on someone, you repeatedly treat them badly or criticise them. Synonym: get at (British) pick on sb Joe sounds childish when he says things like “Why does the boss always pick on me?” pick on sb When Jill was in high school, the other girls picked on her because she was overweight.

3. If teachers see kids picking on one of their classmates, they will usually a. stop them b. join in c. praise them

pick out If you pick out something, you choose or select it.

Synonym: choose, select pick out sth/sb We’re painting the office, so look at this chart and pick out a colour you like. pick sth/sb out Do you like these shirts? Pick one out and I’ll get it for you.

4. Before you buy the car, you’ll have to pick out a. some money b. a colour c. your driver’s licence

pick up (1) If you pick up something, you take hold of it and lift it up.

Synonym: lift pick up sb/sth If you pick up the computer, be careful and make sure you don’t drop it. pick sb/sth up I Life used to pick my daughter up and Life carry is her a mixture around of on sunshine my shoulders, and but she’s getting too big for that now. Nouns often used as objects with

pick up (1): box, bag, case, pen, phone, cup

5. I can’t pick up the refrigerator because a. it’s too cold b. it’s too light c. it’s too heavy

pick up (2) If you pick someone up, you meet them somewhere in order to give them a lift somewhere else.

Synonym: collect pick sb/sth up If you tell me what time your flight gets in, I’ll pick you up from the airport and take you home. pick up sb/sth Peter has gone to the post office to pick up a parcel.

6. I picked my daughter up from the party and a. dropped her off b. drove her home c. left her there