# Is the term to "pay collect" a proper term?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-term-to-pay-collect-a-proper-term/753042>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 24, 2016, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-term-to-pay-collect-a-proper-term/753042 "2016-04-24T22:45:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![davidmich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2016, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-term-to-pay-collect-a-proper-term/753042/1 "2016-04-24T22:45:37Z")

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Hi  
Is the term to “pay collect” a proper term?  
I had heard someone use the term “pay collect” meaning to reverse the charge or payment. I’ve heard of making a collect call (not sure if it’s still possible to do that these days) but “pay collect”?  
I’ve searched Google and couldn’t find any reference to it.  
I look forward to your feedback.

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**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2016, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-term-to-pay-collect-a-proper-term/753042/2 "2016-04-24T22:50:05Z")

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It isn’t clear to me what that means, especially without context (and I’m not sure what “reversing the charge” would mean outside of a telephone call). Can you give more details about how this expression was used?

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**Author:** ![Cabin\_Fever\_1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cabin_fever_1/32/2908_2.png) [@Cabin\_Fever\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabin_Fever_1)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-term-to-pay-collect-a-proper-term/753042/3 "2016-04-25T02:21:09Z")

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Maybe you/they are referencing this definition?

[Pay/Collect](http://financial-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Pay%2FCollect)

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**Author:** ![davidmich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-term-to-pay-collect-a-proper-term/753042/4 "2016-04-25T21:18:09Z")

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I think the phrase was used humorously, but it does sound odd, nevertheless. Speaking of odd, is referring to a computer as having “symptoms” and taking it to “a triage area” for repair just jargon among techies or is it use by by the wider media/public? I only came across it in an Apple store?