1. (n.) The act of paying, or giving compensation; the discharge of a debt or an obligation.

2. (n.) That which is paid; the thing given in discharge of a debt, or an obligation, or in fulfillment of a promise; reward; recompense; requital; return.

3. (n.) Punishment; chastisement.

bait base pay bribe budgeting carrot castigation charge chastening chastisement compensation condign punishment contribution correction costing costing-out debit debiting deficit spending deserts disbursal disbursement disciplinary measures discipline dismissal wage distribution earnings encouragement escalator clause escalator plan expenditure expense fee ferule fillip financial remuneration gross income guaranteed annual wage hire incentive incitement income inducement infliction interest invitation judgment judicial punishment living wage lure minimum wage nemesis net income outlay pains pains and punishments pay pay and allowances payroll penal retribution penalty penology percentage persuasive portal-to-portal pay profit provocation punishment punition purchasing power real wages remuneration retribution retributive justice reward salary scheduling scourge severance pay sliding scale spending stimulation stimulative stimulus sweetener sweetening take-home take-home pay taxable income total compensation wage wage control wage freeze wage reduction wage rollback wage scale wages wages after deductions wages after taxes well-deserved punishment what-for whet