[, ] () the profit that you receive on money that you have invested (especially when this is equal to the amount that you invested); the time that it takes to get your money back回报；回报期◆When you lend or invest money, you're hoping to get a payback.放贷者或投资者会指望获得回报。◆a 10-year payback10 年的回报期the advantage or reward that sb receives for sth they have done; the act of paying sth back报偿；回报◆He feels his success is the payback for five years of hard work.他感到他的成功是对他五年来辛勤工作的回报。◆(informal) It's payback time! (= a person will have to suffer for what they have done)现在是遭报应的时候了！➡pay sb back (sth), pay sth back (to sb) at pay verb