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   cost an arm and a leg meaning, definition, examples, origin, synonyms
  </title><meta charset=utf-8><meta content=width=device-width,initial-scale=1 name=viewport><link href=https://www.theidioms.com/cost-an-arm-and-a-leg/ rel=canonical><link title="The Idioms » cost an arm and a leg Comments Feed"href=https://www.theidioms.com/cost-an-arm-and-a-leg/feed/ rel=alternate type=application/rss+xml><link href=https://www.theidioms.com/wp-content/mmr/b2570bc3-1591955969.min.css id=css-0-css media=all rel=stylesheet><script id=js-1-js src=https://www.theidioms.com/wp-content/mmr/1d110ede-1604006137.min.js></script><style>.recentcomments a{display:inline !important;padding:0 !important;margin:0 !important}</style><meta content="cost an arm and a leg"property=og:title><meta content=article property=og:type><meta content=https://www.theidioms.com/cost-an-arm-and-a-leg/ property=og:url><meta content=https://www.theidioms.com/wp-content/themes/jargon/images/og/3.jpg property=og:image><meta content='cost an arm and a leg Meaning | Synonyms very expensive costing a lot of money to be very expensive a very large and exorbitant sum of money ... <a class="rm" href="https://www.theidioms.com/cost-an-arm-and-a-leg/">Read on</a>'property=og:description><meta itemscope itemtype=http://schema.org/Article><meta content="cost an arm and a leg - TheIdioms.com"itemprop=headline><meta content='cost an arm and a leg Meaning | Synonyms very expensive costing a lot of money to be very expensive a very large and exorbitant sum of money ... <a class="rm" href="https://www.theidioms.com/cost-an-arm-and-a-leg/">Read on</a>'itemprop=description><meta content=https://www.theidioms.com/wp-content/themes/jargon/images/og/3.jpg itemprop=image><meta content=summary_large_image name=twitter:card><meta content=https://www.theidioms.com/wp-content/themes/jargon/images/og/3.jpg name=twitter:image><script async src=//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js></script><script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({google_ad_client: "ca-pub-1567729832356028",enable_page_level_ads: true
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He's willing to pay <strong> an arm and a leg </strong> for it.<li>I went to the auction but didn't pick up anything. Everything <strong> cost an arm and a leg </strong> .<li>This resort lets you experience luxury without having to pay <strong> an arm and a leg </strong> .</ol><h2>Origin</h2><p>This is an American phrase, coined sometime after World War II. Probable reference is to soldiers who had lost their limbs in the war, thus having to pay a very high price for the war.<p class=tag><a href=https://www.theidioms.com/body/ rel=tag> Body </a> , <a href=https://www.theidioms.com/money/ rel=tag> Money </a><p class=meta><span class=ct> <a href=https://www.theidioms.com/c/> C </a> </span> <span class=right> <a href=https://www.theidioms.com/cost-an-arm-and-a-leg/#comments> 14 Thoughts </a> </span><p class=pagenav><span class=next title=Next> <a href=https://www.theidioms.com/carry-out/ rel=prev> carry out ❯ </a> </span> <span class=prev title=Previous> <a href=https://www.theidioms.com/come-to-a-head/ rel=next> ❮ come to a head </a> </span><div id=comments><h3 id=ctl><span> 14 </span> Thoughts</h3><div class=remarks><div class=insight id=comment-15057><p>The phrase originates from painting in the 15th century and later when portraits were popular. Arms and legs are difficult to paint properly. If an artist cited a price higher than the patron wished to pay, the artist might agree to do the painting for less with fewer or no limbs in the picture. Thus the reduction in price “could cost you an arm and a leg.”<p class=ai>- David <span> November 26, 2018 </span></div><div class=insight id=comment-14433><p>What a nice! it is very useful to us, like me a student, and also the teachers. Keep it up!<p class=ai>- Nicka Jae Ritamal <span> August 6, 2018 </span></div><div class=insight id=comment-14171><p>Why don’t you put ‘S’ at the third person sing of the <a href=http://www.theidioms.com/verbs/> verb </a> to cast?<p class=ai>- Renold <span> June 5, 2018 </span></div><div class=insight id=comment-13998><p>You helped me in my project. Thankz<p>😊😊<p class=ai>- Angela <span> May 3, 2018 </span></div><div class=insight id=comment-13369><p>This is very useful #idioms is fun<p class=ai>- Meegs Fetalvero <span> January 25, 2018 </span></div><div class=insight id=comment-13272><p>This is very useful to me.<p class=ai>- Yuxun <span> January 11, 2018 </span></div><div class=insight id=comment-13246><p>Useful stuff<p class=ai>- Roshan <span> January 8, 2018 </span></div><div class=insight id=comment-13220><p>This idiom is really very helpful and good for school. <br> This idiom make interest in more idioms, unexpectedly.<p class=ai>- Sofia Anum <span> January 2, 2018 </span></div><div class=insight id=comment-13076><p>This is very simple and useful ,<p class=ai>- Eli Machang <span> December 2, 2017 </span></div><div class=insight id=comment-12911><p>It originates in pharaonic Egypt – the man who lost an arm & a leg as punishment (for sleeping with the pharo concubines) is depicted (a man with one hand and one leg and very erected ‘manhood’) among the reliefs of the great temple of Kernak – if you visit that temple check it out.<p class=ai>- Giorge <span> November 7, 2017 </span></div><div class=insight id=comment-12664><p>Thank you so much for this idiom<p class=ai>- Mystery girl <span> November 1, 2017 </span></div><div class=insight id=comment-10710><p>This is really useful for school.<p class=ai>- Jenna Louw <span> August 14, 2017 </span></div><div class=insight id=comment-9649><p>Your origin is rubbish it has been used in the UK for centuries and is in reference to portrait painting.<p class=ai>- Tim <span> May 22, 2017 </span></div><div class=insight id=comment-5648><p>This is very usefull to learn more.<p class=ai>- Priya <span> May 2, 2016 </span></div></div><div class=comment-respond id=respond><p class=cft>Add your thoughts <small> <a href=/cost-an-arm-and-a-leg/#respond id=cancel-comment-reply-link rel=nofollow style=display:none;> Cancel reply </a> </small><form 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