pay dividends

pay dividends

if something you do pays dividends, it causes good results at a time in the future. Plenty of practice early in the season will pay dividends later on.

See also: pay

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pay dividends

to produce good results or advantages. My Spanish lessons have finally begun to pay dividends, and I can carry on a simple conversation!

Usage notes: often used to refer to something you do now that will benefit you in the future: All your work will pay dividends – you'll see.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of pay a dividend (= to pay someone who owns shares in a company a part of a company's profit)

See also: pay