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pay off

   Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.01 sec.
pay someone off. 
1. Lit. to pay what is owed to a person. I can't pay you off until Wednesday when I get my paycheck. I have to use this money to pay off Sarah.
2. Fig. to bribe someone. Max asked Lefty if he had paid the cops off yet. Lefty paid off the cops on time.
See also: pay

pay something off

to pay all of a debt; to pay the final payment for something bought on credit. This month I'll pay the car off. Did you pay off the gas bill yet?
See also: pay

pay off

to yield profits; to result in benefits. My investment in those stocks has really paid off. The time I spent in school paid off in later years.
See also: pay

pay off
to result in success I hope all this hard work pays off.
See also: pay

pay off somebody also pay somebody off

to give someone money illegally to get them to do what you want The pair had paid off local police to protect their drug-selling operation.
See also: pay

pay off something also pay something off

to pay all of a debt It took her six years to pay off her student loan. I guess I can afford a new car, but it's a lot of money and it's not easy to pay it off.
See also: pay


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? References in classic literature
When they saw him on the point of death they thought to themselves: "Now is the time to pay off old grudges.
Miss Dearborn asked us what is the object of edducation and I said the object of mine was to help pay off the morgage.
I have a little money saved up, enough to pay off what you owe.
 
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