Cost an arm and a leg

Definitions

• extremely expensive
  To describe something that is very costly and requires a significant amount of money to be spent or paid.

• great sacrifice or loss
  To convey the idea of giving up something valuable or important in exchange for something else, often used in a figurative sense.

Examples of Cost an arm and a leg

• The tickets for the concert cost an arm and a leg.

  This idiom is used to describe something that is extremely expensive and requires a significant financial sacrifice. In this example, the concert tickets are so expensive that they would be a major financial burden, equivalent to losing an arm and a leg.

• The new smartphone has all the latest features, but it costs an arm and a leg.

  Here, the idiom is used to convey that the smartphone is so expensive that it would be a significant financial burden, requiring a significant sacrifice or loss, such as losing an arm and a leg.

• I've been wanting to take that cooking class, but it costs an arm and a leg.

  In this example, the idiom is used to express that the cooking class is so expensive that it would be a major financial burden, requiring a significant financial sacrifice, equivalent to losing an arm and a leg.

• The designer clothes in that store are priced at an arm and a leg.

  Here, the idiom is used to describe the high price of designer clothes, implying that they are so expensive that they would be a significant financial burden, requiring a significant financial sacrifice, equivalent to losing an arm and a leg.

• The car repair bill came to an arm and a leg.

  In this example, the idiom is used to describe the high cost of car repairs, implying that they were so expensive that they would be a significant financial burden, requiring a significant financial sacrifice, equivalent to losing an arm and a leg.

Conclusion

The idiom "cost an arm and a leg" is typically used to indicate something that is very expensive and requires a large amount of money to be paid. It can also be used to convey the idea of great sacrifice or loss, often in a figurative sense.

In both cases, the idiom is used to emphasize the significant or extreme nature of the situation. It suggests that the cost or sacrifice is so high that it is almost unthinkable or unimaginable.

Origin of "Cost an arm and a leg"

The origin of this idiom is uncertain, but there are a few theories about its possible origins. One theory suggests that it may have originated during World War II, when soldiers returning home from war often had to face the reality of missing limbs and the high cost of medical treatments and prosthetics.

Another theory suggests that the idiom may have originated from the 18th century practice of hiring painters to create portraits. Artists would often charge more for a painting that included arms and legs, as it required more time and skill to complete.

Regardless of its exact origin, the idiom has been in use since the mid-20th century and has become a common phrase to describe something that is very expensive or involves a great sacrifice.