S2-E27: to buy sb off

Host: Hello everyone, and welcome back to another episode of Winkey's Fluent English, the podcast where we break down tricky English phrases to help you become a master communicator. I'm your host, Winkey, and today we're diving into the phrasal verb "buy off."

So, what does it mean to "buy someone off"? Well, simply put, it means to give someone money or other incentives to stop them from doing something or to influence their actions.

Let's look at an example to understand this better. Imagine you're a parent, and your child wants to stay up past their bedtime to watch TV. You might say, "I'll buy you off with a promise of extra TV time tomorrow if you go to bed now." In this case, you're offering a reward to persuade your child to do what you want.

But "buy off" isn't just used in family scenarios. It can also be used in more serious situations, like politics or business. For instance, if a company is facing a lawsuit, they might try to buy off the plaintiff by offering them a settlement to avoid going to court.

Now, let's hear a short story to see "buy off" in action:

[Story Begins]

In a small town, there was a heated debate over whether to build a new highway that would cut through the forest. The mayor, eager to push the project through, decided to buy off the opposition by offering jobs to those who would lose their homes to the highway construction. Despite protests, many residents were bought off by the promise of employment, and the project went ahead.

[Story Ends]

In this story, you can see how the mayor used the promise of jobs to buy off the opposition and gain support for the highway project.

Now, let's move on to some example sentences to help solidify your understanding of "buy off":

1. The wealthy businessman tried to buy off the journalist by offering her a large sum of money to write a favorable article about his company.

2. The politician was accused of trying to buy off voters by promising tax cuts in exchange for their support.

3. Despite attempts to buy him off, the whistleblower refused to stay silent about the company's illegal activities.

Remember, "buy off" can have negative connotations, implying bribery or manipulation. So, use it carefully and consider the context in which you're using it.

That's all for today's episode of Winkey's Fluent English. I hope you've gained a better understanding of the phrasal verb "buy off" and how to use it in your everyday conversations. Join us next time for more language tips and tricks. Until then, keep practicing and keep learning. Goodbye for now!