to pay off
[phrase form: pay]
01
得到回报, 取得成功
(of a plan or action) to succeed and have good results
Intransitive
例子
All those hours of studying really paid off during the exam.
所有那些学习的时间在考试中真的得到了回报。
Their investment in the startup paid off when the company went public.
他们对初创公司的投资在公司上市时得到了回报。
02
还清, 全额支付
to give the full amount of money owed on a debt or loan
Transitive: to pay off a debt or loan
例子
She finally paid off her student loans after ten years.
十年后，她终于还清了学生贷款。
I ca n't wait to pay my mortgage off and own the house outright.
我迫不及待想还清我的抵押贷款并完全拥有这所房子。
03
报复, 以牙还牙
to get revenge on someone for something they did
Transitive: to pay off sb
例子
They waited for the right moment to pay the bullies off.
他们等待合适的时机来报复那些恶霸。
Mark was always looking for a chance to pay off his old rivals.
马克一直在寻找机会报复他的老对手。
04
报答, 回报
to give something back to someone in return for something they did
Transitive: to pay off sb
例子
To pay him off for his years of service, they named a building after him.
为了回报他多年的服务，他们以他的名字命名了一栋建筑。
They paid off the neighbors with a lavish dinner for watching their house while they were away.
他们用一顿丰盛的晚餐报答了邻居在他们外出时照看他们的房子。
05
贿赂, 收买
to give someone money, often secretly, to get a favor or advantage
Transitive: to pay off sb
例子
Politicians should n't be allowed to be paid off by corporations.
不应该允许政治家被企业收买。
To avoid heavy fines, the business owner tried to pay the inspector off.
为了避免重罚，企业主试图贿赂检查员。
06
付清遣散费, 支付解雇金
to give someone a final payment when their job ends
Transitive: to pay off an employee
例子
The economic crisis meant they had to pay off many experienced employees.
经济危机意味着他们不得不解雇许多有经验的员工。
The factory paid all the redundant workers off with a good package.
工厂用一个好的包裹付清了所有冗余工人的工资。
