kɔst æn ɑrm ænd ə leɡ
Money & Finance
informal
beginner
- Literally:
- To require payment of an arm and a leg
What does "cost an arm and a leg" mean?
- To be very expensive
- To cost a lot of money
Examples
- That vacation cost an arm and a leg.
- Repairs to the car are going to cost an arm and a leg.
- I love the house, but it cost an arm and a leg.
Origin
American origin from the mid-20th century. Some suggest connection to WWI/WWII veterans who literally lost limbs, but this is debated. The hyperbole emphasizes extreme expense by naming body parts as payment.
How to use it
Very common informal expression for high prices. Often used with a sense of complaint or resignation about expense.
Similar expressions
break the bank
expensive
cost a fortune
Opposites
cheap
affordable
a bargain
Related idioms
- pay an arm and a leg
To pay an extremely high price
- make ends meet
To earn just enough money to cover basic expenses
- money doesn't grow on trees
Money is not easily acquired; it must be earned
- break the bank
To cost too much money
- hit the jackpot
To achieve great success or win something valuable
- go through the roof
To increase dramatically or to very high levels
Use it in a practice answer
Try "cost an arm and a leg" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.