DEFRAY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does defray mean? 

• DEFRAY (verb)
  The verb DEFRAY has 1 sense:

1. bear the expenses of

  Familiarity information: DEFRAY used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DEFRAY (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they defray    ... he / she / it defrays   
Past simple: defrayed   
Past participle: defrayed   
-ing form: defraying   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Bear the expenses of

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Hypernyms (to "defray" is one way to...):

pay (give money, usually in exchange for goods or services)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

defrayal; defrayment (the act of paying money)

 Context examples 

As to reward, my profession is its own reward; but you are at liberty to defray whatever expenses I may be put to, at the time which suits you best.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

You will see that he hath refection, and such a purse of gold as may defray his charges, for indeed it is great honor to any court to have within it so noble and gentle a cavalier.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Therefore, in hopes to defray some of the charges he must be at, he bought a sloop, loaded it with several sorts of goods, wherewith the Tonquinese usually trade to the neighbouring islands, and putting fourteen men on board, whereof three were of the country, he appointed me master of the sloop, and gave me power to traffic, while he transacted his affairs at Tonquin.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)