Discharges a debt (4)
I believe the answer is:
pays
'discharges a debt' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is the entire clue.
(Other definitions for pays that I've seen before include "Forks out" , "Settles a bill" , "Hollande's country" , "Gives money in return for something" , "stumps up" .)