idiom
Pay It Forward
pay it FOR-werd
/peɪ ɪt ˈfɔːrwərd/Listen
Hear it in a clear American voice. Slow it down to catch each syllable.
Syllable breakdown
payitforward
Dictionary meaning
To respond to an act of kindness by performing a good deed for someone else rather than repaying the original benefactor, thereby passing the benefit along to a new person.
Examples
- When a stranger paid for her coffee, she decided to pay it forward by buying lunch for the next person in line.
- The concept of paying it forward has inspired community chains of random acts of kindness around the world.
Learn one new pronunciation a day
Get a word, name or idiom like “Pay It Forward” in your inbox — daily or weekly, free. Unsubscribe any time.
Something wrong? Suggest a correction