pay off
phrasal verbpay off
- (informal) (of a plan or an action, especially one that involves risk) to be successful and bring good results
- The gamble paid off.
pay somebody off
- to pay somebody what they have earned and tell them to leave their job
- The crew were paid off as soon as the ship docked.
- (informal) to give somebody money to prevent them from doing something or talking about something illegal or dishonest that you have done
- All the witnesses had been paid off.
pay something off
- to finish paying money owed for something
- We paid off our mortgage after fifteen years.