Re: Question about "pay off" phrase.
- From: "Pat Durkin" <durk183@xxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 19 May 2008 23:05:18 -0500
"Donna Richoux" <trio@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1ih7lku.5bo6icjgzeegN%trio@xxxxxxxxxx
Duy Lam <duylamphuong@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi,
I heard an English podcast and they have explained about the meaning
of "pad off" phrase. They said it means "be successful".
But I don't know what is its function in clause - a noun or
adjective. I had two clause with "pay off" but didn't know which one
is right.
1. I have tried my best to pass the exam. Finally, I paid off.
No, "it paid off." My hard work paid off.
Another example:
Our honesty paid off. (We were rewarded in some way for being
honest.)
The term probably comes from gambling -- you gamble by betting on
something, and if it wins, it pays off. Sometimes it "pays off big" or
"bigtime." It is also used for investing in general, putting a lot of
money into a business venture and hoping this pays off.
You could also drop the "off". Honesty pays. Hard work pays.
I suppose I should drop this here, because I don't have a grammar/vocabulary text that will explain why I avoided "paid" in the verb usage. As an adjective I don't have a problem using "paid".
The bill was marked paid. I payed the bill. (Seriously, I keep seeing layed and laid here, before going on to other verbs, such as passed/past. Or maybe "paid" is past participle?)
.
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