Payback
noun
Money that someone returns to you that you loaned them in the past.
John finally gave me the payback for the money I lent him last month.

Often appears as...
- get payback
- give payback
noun
The act of doing something bad to someone who has done something bad to you.
He smashed my car window, but don't worry, I'll get my payback.

Often appears as...
- get payback
- seek payback
Usage tips
Informal, Disapproving
Idiomatic
noun
In business, the amount of time it takes for an investment to generate an income equal to the cost of the investment.
The payback period for the new machinery is around three years.

Often appears as...
- payback period
- calculate payback
Usage tips
Formal
Technical
noun
Money that someone returns to you that you loaned them in the past.
John finally gave me the payback for the money I lent him last month.

Often appears as...
- get payback
- give payback
noun
The act of doing something bad to someone who has done something bad to you.
He smashed my car window, but don't worry, I'll get my payback.

Often appears as...
- get payback
- seek payback
Usage tips
Informal, Disapproving
Idiomatic
noun
In business, the amount of time it takes for an investment to generate an income equal to the cost of the investment.
The payback period for the new machinery is around three years.

Often appears as...
- payback period
- calculate payback
Usage tips
Formal
Technical
Definition 1 of 3

Expectation of return
The term implies that the person who borrowed money is expected to return it.

She reminded him about the payback for the loan.
Not always money
Sometimes, 'payback' refers to returning a favor, not just money.

After helping him move, he owed me a payback.
Moral obligation
There's often a sense of personal duty associated with 'payback'.

I feel a strong payback is due for their kindness.
Expectation of return
The term implies that the person who borrowed money is expected to return it.

She reminded him about the payback for the loan.
Not always money
Sometimes, 'payback' refers to returning a favor, not just money.

After helping him move, he owed me a payback.
Moral obligation
There's often a sense of personal duty associated with 'payback'.

I feel a strong payback is due for their kindness.
Expectation of return
The term implies that the person who borrowed money is expected to return it.

She reminded him about the payback for the loan.
Not always money
Sometimes, 'payback' refers to returning a favor, not just money.

After helping him move, he owed me a payback.
Moral obligation
There's often a sense of personal duty associated with 'payback'.

I feel a strong payback is due for their kindness.
Compare with
compensationrecompenseredemptionremuneraterepayrestitutionretributionrevenge
Video examples
Bill Gross: Great ideas...
you could use it anywhere on Earth. It just affects the payback period if you're comparing to grid-supplied electricity. But if you don't have grid-supplied electricity, then the question of payback is a different one entirely. It's just how many watts do you get per dollar, and how could you benefit from that to change your life in some way.
Video examples
3 stories of local...
local knowledge about how to get the most out of that region's wind she calculated the upfront cost and the payback over time and it's a net plus on so many levels for the local national and global economy it's a longer payback than mountaintop removal but the wind energy actually pays back forever the
Video examples
Majora Carter: 3 stories...
She calculated the up-front cost and the payback over time, and it's a net-plus on so many levels for the local, national and global economy. It's a longer payback than mountaintop removal, but the wind energy actually pays back forever. Now mountaintop removal pays very little money to the locals,
Video examples
It Takes a Village PIPE...
real good tonight after I get home knowing that I did a little favor for those guys and it's kind of like payback they did a lot of favors for me too honey I had kind of a hard winter health-wise we both had surgery in December and if we did not have the support of the community that we're in
Video examples
Simon Lewis: Don't take...
The audience is too small. You'd think, there's plenty of paralyzed people in the world, but the audience is too small, and the amount of research, the time it takes, the FDA clearances, the payback time is too long for V.C. to be interested. So he saw a need and he stepped in.
Video examples
Amory Lovins: A 40-year...
capital cost, which helped pay for the other improvements and reduce the payback to just three years. Integrative design can also increase energy savings in industry. Dow's billion-dollar efficiency investment has already returned nine billion dollars.
Video examples
Catch of the Week -...
guy to do put on top of this fight I said I'm not worth I'm not Donald all denied he told us that it was dead they're not good this mark represents payback to me.com with all the all the information he wants we're gonna find our fish
Video examples
A 40-year plan for...
a third and then renovating smaller chillers instead of adding bigger ones saved seventeen million dollars of capital cost which helped pay for the other improvements and reduce the payback to just three years integrative
Video examples
Should “blackness”...
of wedlock I've been to prison and already I've been to prison and more than once gave serious thought I'm talking deep contemplation to whether I could or should murder someone is payback now I
Video examples
Hornets from Hell PIPE...
payback these two are honeybees they made their hive in a hollow tree they too are caring for their young but these are native Japanese honeybees and they're
Video examples
Bill Gross: Great ideas...
you could use it anywhere on Earth. It just affects the payback period if you're comparing to grid-supplied electricity. But if you don't have grid-supplied electricity, then the question of payback is a different one entirely. It's just how many watts do you get per dollar, and how could you benefit from that to change your life in some way.
Video examples
3 stories of local...
local knowledge about how to get the most out of that region's wind she calculated the upfront cost and the payback over time and it's a net plus on so many levels for the local national and global economy it's a longer payback than mountaintop removal but the wind energy actually pays back forever the
Video examples
Majora Carter: 3 stories...
She calculated the up-front cost and the payback over time, and it's a net-plus on so many levels for the local, national and global economy. It's a longer payback than mountaintop removal, but the wind energy actually pays back forever. Now mountaintop removal pays very little money to the locals,
Video examples
It Takes a Village PIPE...
real good tonight after I get home knowing that I did a little favor for those guys and it's kind of like payback they did a lot of favors for me too honey I had kind of a hard winter health-wise we both had surgery in December and if we did not have the support of the community that we're in
Video examples
Simon Lewis: Don't take...
The audience is too small. You'd think, there's plenty of paralyzed people in the world, but the audience is too small, and the amount of research, the time it takes, the FDA clearances, the payback time is too long for V.C. to be interested. So he saw a need and he stepped in.
Video examples
Amory Lovins: A 40-year...
capital cost, which helped pay for the other improvements and reduce the payback to just three years. Integrative design can also increase energy savings in industry. Dow's billion-dollar efficiency investment has already returned nine billion dollars.
Video examples
Catch of the Week -...
guy to do put on top of this fight I said I'm not worth I'm not Donald all denied he told us that it was dead they're not good this mark represents payback to me.com with all the all the information he wants we're gonna find our fish
Video examples
A 40-year plan for...
a third and then renovating smaller chillers instead of adding bigger ones saved seventeen million dollars of capital cost which helped pay for the other improvements and reduce the payback to just three years integrative
Video examples
Should “blackness”...
of wedlock I've been to prison and already I've been to prison and more than once gave serious thought I'm talking deep contemplation to whether I could or should murder someone is payback now I
Video examples
Hornets from Hell PIPE...
payback these two are honeybees they made their hive in a hollow tree they too are caring for their young but these are native Japanese honeybees and they're
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Jon Evans
Canadian Novelist
To succeed in the tech industry, you start businesses, make money, and make smart investments. But to succeed in the tech community, you do and build awesome things, are generous with your time and efforts, and make a point of making space for strangers - without any expectation of payback.

Quote examples
Andrea Jung
American Businesswoman
When a woman earns a dollar, the payback is higher. She'll invest in her children, in their education, health care, and basic needs. The impact of a woman's role in the economy benefits society at large.

Quote examples
Scott Weiss
American Businessman
Be generous with your time and money - it has an amazingly fast payback. Be in the moment with everyone you love - and this frequently means tuning out work completely. And drive slow in parking lots.

Quote examples
Luke Hemsworth
Australian Actor
As a parent, you go through a whole lot of really tough things, and you kind of want other parents to experience those tough things as payback - especially when it's your brother.

Quote examples
Joe Walsh
American Musician
I like to give people equipment and stuff. For me, it's a kind of payback. Anyone who is an influence or hero for me, I'm always concerned with how I can balance the karma.

Quote examples
Steve Jobs
American Businessman
I think money is a wonderful thing because it enables you to do things. It enables you to invest in ideas that don't have a short-term payback.

Quote examples
Gil Penchina
American Businessman
There are lot of ways people get non-economic payback - learning, networking, and relationships. These drive most angels more than the money.

Quote examples
James Blunt
English Musician
Touring is the best invention of all time, so if I have to suffer a little bit of payback for having all this fun, then so be it.

Quote examples
Wendy Davis
American Politician
I've never worried about payback. People are hungry for leadership that's not afraid of political consequence.

Quote examples
Rick Danko
Canadian Musician
My first payback to society in life, was The Dolphin Project.

Quote examples
Jon Evans
Canadian Novelist
To succeed in the tech industry, you start businesses, make money, and make smart investments. But to succeed in the tech community, you do and build awesome things, are generous with your time and efforts, and make a point of making space for strangers - without any expectation of payback.

Quote examples
Andrea Jung
American Businesswoman
When a woman earns a dollar, the payback is higher. She'll invest in her children, in their education, health care, and basic needs. The impact of a woman's role in the economy benefits society at large.

Quote examples
Scott Weiss
American Businessman
Be generous with your time and money - it has an amazingly fast payback. Be in the moment with everyone you love - and this frequently means tuning out work completely. And drive slow in parking lots.

Quote examples
Luke Hemsworth
Australian Actor
As a parent, you go through a whole lot of really tough things, and you kind of want other parents to experience those tough things as payback - especially when it's your brother.

Quote examples
Joe Walsh
American Musician
I like to give people equipment and stuff. For me, it's a kind of payback. Anyone who is an influence or hero for me, I'm always concerned with how I can balance the karma.

Quote examples
Steve Jobs
American Businessman
I think money is a wonderful thing because it enables you to do things. It enables you to invest in ideas that don't have a short-term payback.

Quote examples
Gil Penchina
American Businessman
There are lot of ways people get non-economic payback - learning, networking, and relationships. These drive most angels more than the money.

Quote examples
James Blunt
English Musician
Touring is the best invention of all time, so if I have to suffer a little bit of payback for having all this fun, then so be it.

Quote examples
Wendy Davis
American Politician
I've never worried about payback. People are hungry for leadership that's not afraid of political consequence.

Quote examples
Rick Danko
Canadian Musician
My first payback to society in life, was The Dolphin Project.

Example 1 of 10
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