Avoid coming face to face with and don't pay (4,2,4)

'don't pay' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are verbs in their base form, I cannot see how they can define each other.

'avoid coming face to face with' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite understand how this works, but
'face' could be 'meet' (I've seen this in another clue) and 'meet' is present in the answer.
'to' is present in the answer.
The remaining letters 'fail' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't see.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).

'and' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?