English · Phrasal verb Attested

pay off

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Sense 1

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

To bribe, especially to deter oversight.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

hối lộ, đặc biệt là để ngăn chặn sự giám sát

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Where it’s used: Used American English

I thought the guards would give us trouble, but apparently he had paid them off.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

To become worthwhile; to produce a net benefit.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

đ带 lại lợi ích; tạo ra lợi nhuận

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

To pay back; to repay.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

trả nợ; hoàn trả

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

What does “pay off” mean?

To bribe, especially to deter oversight.

Is “pay off” formal or informal?

pay off is generally informal.