pay debt

pay (one's) debt

1. To repay some or all of the money one owes to someone else. A noun or pronoun can be used between "(one's) and "debt" to specify the type of debt one has accrued. I only won about $5,000 in the lottery, but it was enough to pay my credit card debt. I'm gonna be paying my student loan debt for nearly 20 years.
2. To serve the sentence given to one upon conviction of a crime. Often followed by "to society." In the eyes of the law, he has paid his debt to society, so he shouldn't be facing any further punishment for his past crimes. I spent nearly 15 years in prison—I paid my debt!
See also: debt, pay
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

pay one's debt (to society)

Cliché to serve a sentence for a crime, usually in prison. The judge said that Mr. Simpson had to pay his debt to society. Mr. Brown paid his debt in state prison.
See also: debt, pay
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • pay (one's) debt
  • in debt
  • gratitude
  • up to (one's) ears in debt
  • up to your ears in debt
  • be in (one's) debt
  • be in somebody's debt
  • debt
  • in debt to (someone or something)
  • out of debt
References in classic literature
I do not think this general insolvency, which involves in some sort all the population, to be the reason of the difficulty experienced at Christmas and New Year and other times, in bestowing gifts; since it is always so pleasant to be generous, though very vexatious to pay debts. But the impediment lies in the choosing.
Essays Second Series
But why did the clerks at the bank let him have them--they ought to have known that you had all this money to pay, and people cannot well pay debts without money."
Autobiography of a Pocket Handkerchief
SMC plans to offer local bonds to pay debt !-- -- (Philstar.com) - August 22, 2019 - 2:01pm MANILA, Philippines San Miguel Corp.
SMC plans to offer local bonds to pay debt
'The government will pay debt of Rs3,000 billion this year and will collect revenue of Rs5,500 billion.
Criminal negligence committed against economy in past: Umar Ayub
The special revenue bonds are backed by the city's covenant to budget and appropriate non-ad valorem (NAV) revenues sufficient to pay debt service.
Fitch Ratings assigns 'AA-' rating to Florida bonds
The money from the sale will be used to pay debt. Bill Blackham, Condors chief executive officer, noted that of the 55 legacy hotels that the company owned at the start of 2015, only four remain, and that the company had a goal of selling two of those in the first half of 201.
Condor Hospitality Trust sells another legacy hotel
The loan is needed to pay debt due in July, but talks continue and the IMF has not yet decided whether to join the bailout.
Greek debt must be sustainable for IMF to join bailout -- Lagarde
M2 EQUITYBITES-May 8, 2015-CIBC poll reports Canadians use tax refunds to pay debt
CIBC poll reports Canadians use tax refunds to pay debt
BANKING AND CREDIT NEWS-May 8, 2015-CIBC poll reports Canadians use tax refunds to pay debt
CIBC poll reports Canadians use tax refunds to pay debt
The insurance helps customers pay debt if they are unable to work and earn an income.
Australia : AIA signs credit card insurance deal with Citibank
It would appear that he, like so many in Bahrain, is trying to sort out his financial predicament but because of the absolute lunacy of the judicial system, can't pay debt, declared illegal, banned from travelling, and can't get a job to clear his debt.
Judicial lunacy!
A person familiar with Dubai World told Bloomberg last month that Nakheel needs cash to pay debt maturing this year.
Running away from the circus?
The unidentified firm would make a "substantial" investment that would result in "very significant dilution" to current shareholders, San Juan-based Doral said, adding it doesn't have enough money to pay debt due this year, including a US$625 million bond maturing in July.
Doral Bank struggles to survive
Debt payment behavior, as a dependent variable, has three categories--"pay debt on time," "pay debt late but no later than two months," and "pay debt late for two or more months." Debt amount and debt types (mortgage loan, credit card balance, and installment loan) are used as independent variables.
Consumer debt types and debt payment behavior