wage

wage [wāj]

vt.

waged, waging [ME wagen < NormFr wagier (OFr gagier) < wage (OFr gage), a stake, pledge < Frank * wadi, akin to Goth wadi, a pledge: for IE base see WED]

1. to engage in or carry on (a war, struggle, campaign, etc.)

2. [Dial., Chiefly Brit.] to hire

n.

1. [often pl.] money paid to an employee for work done, and usually figured on an hourly, daily, or piecework basis

2. [usually pl.] what is given in return; recompense; requital: formerly the plural form was often construed as singular [“The wages of sin is death”]

3. [pl.] Econ. the share of the total product of industry that goes to labor, as distinguished from the share taken by capital

SYN.- WAGE (also often wages) applies to money paid an employee at relatively short intervals, often daily, or weekly, esp. for manual or physical labor; SALARY applies to fixed compensation usually paid at longer intervals, often monthly or semimonthly, esp. to clerical or professional workers; STIPEND is a somewhat lofty substitute for SALARY, or it is applied to a pension or similar fixed payment; FEE applies to the payment requested or given for professional services, as of a doctor, lawyer, artist, etc.; PAY¹ is a general term equivalent to any of the preceding, but it is specifically used of compensation to members of the armed forces; EMOLUMENT is an elevated, now somewhat jocular, substitute for SALARY or wages