pay (one's) respects

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pay (one's) respects

1. To offer (someone) a proper or formal expression of greeting, welcome, esteem, or well wishes. I think we should go over and pay our respects to the new neighbors and make them feel welcome to the area!

2. To offer or express one's condolences or sympathy, particularly to someone's family following their death. I'm heading to Janet's house after her father's funeral on Sunday to pay my respects to her and her family.

See also: pay, respect

pay your respects

FORMAL

1. If you pay your respects to someone, you go to see them or you send them a message in order to be polite. Carl had asked him to visit the hospital and to pay his respects to Francis.

2. If you pay your respects, you go to someone's funeral. People came from miles around to pay their respects.

See also: pay, respect

pay your respects

make a polite visit to someone.

A similar expression is pay your last respects , meaning ‘show respect towards a dead person by attending their funeral’.

See also: pay, respect

pay your reˈspects (to somebody)

(formal) show respect for somebody by visiting them, attending their funeral, etc: At the funeral the whole neighbourhood came out to pay their respects (to him).

See also: pay, respect

References in classic literature ?

If we had known you had a lady upstairs," replied Athos, with his customary coolness, "we would have asked permission to pay our respects to her.

View in context

All we desire is to pay our respects to your Majesty--the cleverest king in all the world, I'm sure--and then to continue on our way.

View in context

Builder Chris, 52, said: "We will pay our respects.

Sorrow and respectsorrow and respect; as normal life returns

Richard Chappell, who had complained about the state of the memorial, said: "At least something is being done and we can at least pay our respects.

Council tribute compromise

Although we are all quite tribal we have the same enthusiasm for the game and we all have a lot of things in common so it is important we pay our respects as football supporters.

Flowers for the Liverpool fans who perished

These tragedies have overshadowed our trip to Estonia and we wanted to pay our respects to the families," said Boyce.

Football: IFA's tribute to a fallen legend

Michael Dodge, 55, who travelled with his wife Joy, 53, from Portsmouth, Hants, said: "We came to pay our respects to the Queen Mother.

THOUSANDS PAY RESPECTS TO QUEEN MUM: QUEEN MOVED BY 3-MILE QUEUE TO SAY FAREWELL

Mrs Laughton, from Kent, said: "We are going to come here every anniversary to pay our respects.

Blanket of bouquets to Palace

Bringing us home the names of all the local sons and daughters killed or missing in action in Vietnam so we can pay our respects in person.

HE BEGAN HEALING WOUNDS BEFORE MOST PEOPLE EVEN KNEW WE WERE SERIOUSLY WOUNDED. : VET BRINGS VIETNAM MEMORIAL BACK HOME

IN Omagh last night Michael Owen said: "We have come here to pay our respects to those who died and to those who lost loved ones.

FOOTBALL: PLAYERS PAY OWN SPECIAL TRIBUTE; LIVERPOOL COME TO TOWN FOR OMAGH BOMB FUND MEMORIAL GAME