Idiom
Cost an arm and a leg
If something costs an arm and a leg, it is extremely expensive, often more than seems reasonable.
How people use it
People use it for big or surprising prices: rent, repairs, concert tickets, college, a new phone. "Fixing the roof is going to cost an arm and a leg." It is informal and exaggerated, of course; no body parts are involved. You can also say a business "charges" an arm and a leg or that you "paid" one. It usually comes with a complaint, so it suggests the price feels too high, not just high.
Also said: pay an arm and a leg, charge an arm and a leg.
Examples
- Concert tickets cost an arm and a leg, so we watched the show online.
- Repairing the old car would cost an arm and a leg, so Ana sold it.
- That tiny hotel room downtown cost us an arm and a leg.
Where it comes from
The phrase appears in American English after World War II, in the late 1940s. A popular story claims it comes from portrait painters who charged more to include a subject's arms and legs, but there is no evidence for this, and the phrase is far too recent. It probably grew from older ways of saying you would give a body part for something, such as "I'd give my right arm," to show how much something is worth.
Check yourself
1. If a new laptop costs an arm and a leg, what does that mean?
Answer: It is very expensive. Costing an arm and a leg means being extremely expensive.
2. Is the popular story about portrait painters a proven origin?
Answer: No, there is no evidence for it. The phrase only appears in the 1940s, so the painter story is not supported.
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