pay off a debt
/peɪ ɒf ə det/
EN
To pay back the full amount of money that one owes to a lender or creditor
It took him three years to work extra shifts to pay off a debt from his college tuition.
Etymology
The phrase combines the Old French-derived 'pay' (meaning to satisfy an obligation) with 'off' (indicating completion) and 'debt' from Latin 'debitum', meaning something owed, emerging in common financial usage by the 18th century.
Translations
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Quick answers
What does pay off a debt mean?
pay off a debt means: To pay back the full amount of money that one owes to a lender or creditor
How do you pronounce pay off a debt?
pay off a debt: /peɪ ɒf ə det/
How is pay off a debt used in a sentence?
It took him three years to work extra shifts to pay off a debt from his college tuition.