̈ɪweɪdʒ n. & v. --n. 1 (in
sing. or pl.) a fixed
regular payment, usu.
daily or
weekly,
made by an employer to an
employee,
esp. to a
manual or
unskilled worker (cf. SALARY). 2 (in sing. or pl.) requital (the wages of sin is death). 3 (in pl.) Econ.
the part of
total production that rewards
labour rather than remunerating capital. --v.tr.
carry on (a
war,
conflict, or contest). øliving wage a wage that affords the
means of
normal subsistence. wage-claim = pay-claim (see PAY(1)). wage-earner a
person who works
for wages. wages
council a
board of workers'
and employers' representatives determining wages
where there is no
collective bargaining. wage
slave a person
dependent on
income from labour in conditions like
slavery. [ME f. AF & ONF wage, OF g(u)age, f. Gmc, rel. to
GAGE(1), WED]