From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishpay off phrasal verb1 pay something ↔ offBFPAY FOR to give someone all the money you owe them I’ll pay off all my debts first. He finally paid his overdraft off.2 SUCCESSFULif something you do pays off, it is successful or has a good result Teamwork paid off.3 pay somebody ↔ off British EnglishBEW to pay someone their wages and tell them they no longer have a job Two hundred workers have been paid off.4 pay somebody ↔ offSCC to pay someone not to say anything about something illegal or dishonest → payoff(2) → pay→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
pay off• I think if you show a bit more consideration for other road users, you'll find it pays off.• We put a lot of hard work into local initiatives, and that's really starting to pay off now.• The mortgage will be paid off over twenty-five years.• He paid off the loan six months early.• The country hopes to pay all its debts off within twenty years.pay off ... debts• From its exports it can earn foreign currency, and begin to pay off its huge debts.• He drove a city bus crosstown to pay off debts.• He spent the next six years using his meager earnings as a bookbinder to pay off debts.• They return to sell in Huaraz until it is time to pay off debts and replenish their stock.• Make it easier for individuals and companies to pay off their debts and they will gradually be able to start spending again.• They say their business makes sense for winners who need immediate cash to pay off debts, start up businesses or invest.• Like the sole trader, the partners are personally responsible for paying off any debts the shop may incur.• That is the way for the South to grow and pay off its debts to the banks of the North.From Longman Business Dictionarypay off phrasal verb1[transitive] pay somebody/something off ↔FINANCE to pay all the money you owe a person or companyBHC also haspaid off all its long-termdebt.$1.2 billion in funds was originally earmarked topay off creditors.The money left to her by her father made it possible topay off theloan.2[intransitive] if a plan, idea etc pays off, it is successfulHe predicted the company’s modernization program would result in higher sales. So far, it has paid off.Investors shouldn’t expect NCR’s more aggressive strategy to pay off right away. → pay→ See Verb table 