to pay off in the short run
- phrasal verb
:
dar resultados a corto plazo
- Studying intensively just before exams might pay off in the short run, but lasting understanding requires consistent effort.
Examples
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The new advertising campaign may pay off in the short run, but its long-term effects are uncertain.
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Investing in training will pay off in the short run.
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Implementing stricter safety measures will pay off in the short run with reduced accidents.
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This strategy pays off in the short run!
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Implementing stricter safety measures will pay off in the short run with reduced accidents.
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The new advertising campaign may pay off in the short run, but its long-term effects are uncertain.
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Studying intensively just before exams might pay off in the short run, but lasting understanding requires consistent effort.
Synonyms
229
3.4
Bring a reward after hard work
Surface Forms
Morphology
pay + off + in + the + short + run
The phrase as a whole is largely compositional: 'in the short run' is transparently built from 'in' + 'short' + 'run' meaning 'during a short period'. However, the core verb 'pay off' involves a phrasal-verb sense ('to yield benefits') that is an extended/metaphorical use of 'pay' plus the particle 'off' and may not be fully predictable to a B1 learner who has not seen this phrasal verb before. Because part of the meaning depends on knowing the phrasal verb while the temporal phrase is transparent, the expression is best classified as semi-transparent.
Etymology
Pay off in the short run comes from two clear pictures: pay off (like finishing a debt and feeling relief right away) and a short run (a quick race that ends soon). So, if something pays off in the short run, it gives a fast benefit now and 'works well for a short time'.