arm and a leg
An exorbitant amount of money, as in These resort hotels charge an arm and a leg for a decent meal, or Fixing the car is going to cost an arm and a leg. According to Eric Partridge, this hyperbolic idiom, which is always used in conjunction with verbs such as “cost,” “charge,” or “pay,” and became widely known from the 1930s on, probably came from the 19th-century American criminal slang phrase, if it takes a leg (that is, even at the cost of a leg), to express desperate determination.
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON AFFECT VS. EFFECT!
Words nearby arm and a leg
Example sentences from the Web for arm and a leg
Why Do “Left” And “Right” Mean Liberal And Conservative?
“Affect” vs. “Effect”: Use The Correct Word Every Time
What Is The Difference Between “It’s” And “Its”?
“Effectiveness” vs. “Efficacy” vs. “Efficiency”: When To Use Each Word For The Best Results
What Is “GOP” Short For?
“Vaccinate” vs. “Inoculate” vs. “Immunize”: What Are The Differences?