English Idioms
Comprehensive resource for understanding and mastering English idioms
Cost an arm and a leg
Meaning
The idiom "cost an arm and a leg" means that something is extremely expensive or very costly. It's commonly used to describe the price of something, especially when it's excessively high or beyond what someone can afford.
Usage
- That designer handbag is so expensive; it would cost an arm and a leg!
- The wedding was way too expensive; it cost my parents an arm and a leg to pay for it.
- If you want to own that car, you better be prepared to part with an arm and a leg because it's incredibly pricey.
- The rent for that apartment in the city center is simply outrageous; it would cost someone an arm and a leg!
- That medical treatment was so expensive, my insurance company refused to cover it, and I had to pay out of pocket, which cost me an arm and a leg. The usage of the idiom can vary depending on the context. For example, if something is priced too high, someone might say that it costs "an arm and a leg" even if it's not actually that expensive. Similarly, if something is just slightly expensive but not excessively so, someone might use a different idiom to describe it.
Roots and History
The idiom "cost an arm and a leg" dates back to the early 20th century. The first known usage was recorded in 1927 by the Oxford English Dictionary, which described it as a colloquial expression used to describe something that is excessively expensive. The phrase is likely derived from the literal cost of losing an arm or leg due to injury or illness, but its figurative meaning has evolved over time to include any extremely high cost.
Synonyms in English
- Eye-watering: This idiom means something that is so expensive it makes your eyes water with shock.
- Sky-high: This idiom means something that is priced too high and beyond what someone can afford.
- Overpriced: This idiom means something that is being sold for more than its actual value.
- Outrageous: This idiom means something that is excessively expensive or unfairly priced.
- Exorbitant: This idiom means something that is unreasonably or excessively priced.
Synonyms in other languages
- Spanish: "Muy caro" (too expensive) - This idiom is used to describe something that is priced too high and beyond what someone can afford.
- French: "Ridiculement cher" (ridiculously expensive) - This idiom is similar in meaning to the English expression "sky-high."
- German: "Kostet wie die Welt" (it costs as much as the world) - This idiom is used to describe something that is excessively expensive.
- Japanese: "貴重くて高いことがすでにある" (something that is both valuable and expensive already exists) - This idiom is similar in meaning to the English expression "outrageous."
- Italian: "Troppo costoso" (too expensive) - This idiom is used to describe something that is priced too high and beyond what someone can afford.