[Idiom] pay up

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notletrest

Senior Member
Joined
May 3, 2010
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Student or Learner
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
China
Current Location
China
What do you think of the 2 ones?
1.All the vehicles drew up at the traffic lights.(comment:trafic stopped
there.)
2.It has taken us two years to settle that loan, but at last we are paid up.(The speaker wants to express they have paid up their debts which lasted two years.)
Thanks a lot.
[FONT=&#23435] It has taken us two years to settle that loan[FONT=&#23435] [/FONT][/FONT]
 
They are not beautiful, but they're okay.
 
They are not beautiful, but they're okay.
I am sorry to say I don't think so.Because the first one is wrong, illogically.For the second,"are" shoulld be crossed . I am right , aren't I?
thanks!
 
Well if you won't take my word for it, why ask again? You'll believe someone as soon as they confirm your preconceived notions?
 
What is wrong with the logic?

I think we can cut the young whipper-snapper some slack ;-) - 'We are paid up' isn't the easiest or most intuitive of forms. [It is correct though, and the manner of saying it wasn't wouldn't have won any prizes for diplomacy!]

b
 
Well if you won't take my word for it, why ask again? You'll believe someone as soon as they confirm your preconceived notions?
we are discussing English problems. At first I didn't express myself in detail,because I thought it simple but I am not quite sure of my ideas.I put them out for a definite answer.Reading yours, I have to put out my opinion for further reason.I think it's natural.
Beg your pardon!
By the way I suppose you are a Japanese from your name and the photo.Thanks!
 
By the way I suppose you are a Japanese from your name and the photo.Thanks!
He could be from his photo, but I don't think "konungursvia" sounds Japanese at all, and his profile clearly states that he's a native English speaker from Canada.
Apply that logic!
 
What is wrong with the logic?
Thankful to you for your corrections of my spelling mistakes and your answer.
You asked me what the logic is. The logic is in streets of a city all over the world it isn't possible for all vehicles drew up at crosses. But the first sentence means like this in my eyes.
For the second, we can say "we plaid up the debt ," or " the debt is peid up by us". But "we are peid up" can only mean " our debt is peid up by the loanee". Grammatically , it cannot be in the passive voice of it. If we regard " paid up" as the complement of the subject , that means we are the loaner. This is my humble idea.
Waiting for yours!
 
I think we can cut the young whipper-snapper some slack ;-) - 'We are paid up' isn't the easiest or most intuitive of forms. [It is correct though, and the manner of saying it wasn't wouldn't have won any prizes for diplomacy!]

b
Glad to know the hidden meaning of "cut the young whipper-snapper some slack". I cannot look it up in my dictionaries. Of course I can imagine it .Haha!
Thank you for your humour!
 
Glad to know the hidden meaning of "cut the young whipper-snapper some slack". I cannot look it up in my dictionaries. Of course I can imagine it .Haha!
Thank you for your humour!

'Glad to know' implies that you do know, as in 'Glad to know you're on our side. We can do with the help.' But you don't. I think you mean 'I would like to know...', or just 'would you explain?'.

When you 'cut someone some slack' you make allowances for him: Cut someone some slack - Idiom Definition - UsingEnglish.com

It's not so easy to explain 'the young whipper-snapper'. A 'whipper-snapper' is young, maybe impetuous, not always doing the wisest thing. But calling someone 'the young whipper-snapper' reminds me of the way an old person might talk of a new-comer - in a Western. say.

I was telling the older and more well-established users of the forum that I thought your attitude was understandable, although your manner had 'raised their hackles' [=made them slightly annoyed and suspicious and defensive ('hackles' are the hairs on the back of a dog's neck; when a dog's hackles are raised, it's a sign that he's disturbed and annoyed and suspicious... and might do something to show his power - if he doesn't 'his bark is worse than his bite' ;-)

Meanwhile, back on the topic....

b
 
Usage:
Action: I paid off the loan.
Action: I paid back what I borrowed.
My Status: I am now paid up.

Action: We paid off the loan.
Status: We are now paid up.

I would not use "pay up" as a transitive verb.

However, you can still say to someone "You borrowed $10 last month. Come on, now, pay up!" or "It's time to pay me back!"
 
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