Phrase guide

an arm and a leg

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

Usually used after the verb cost, but also often charge, pay, and spend: a very high price for an item or service; an exorbitant price

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: excessive, idiomatic

Examples

  • I would have liked to have gone to the concert, but the tickets cost an arm and a leg.
  • They were hoping to have some cash left over, but the tickets cost them an arm and a leg.
  • I paid an arm and a leg for those tickets.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pretty penny, fortune, king's ransom

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

29 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: colló de mico — exorbitant amount
  • Chinese Mandarin: 天價 /天价 (tiānjià) — exorbitant amount
  • Chinese Mandarin: 昂貴 /昂贵 (ángguì) — exorbitant amount
  • Danish: det hvide ud af øjnene — exorbitant amount
  • Dutch: een rib uit het lijf — exorbitant amount
  • Finnish: maksaa mansikoita — exorbitant amount
  • Finnish: maksaa maltaita — exorbitant amount
  • French: coûter les yeux de la tête — exorbitant amount
  • French: coûter la peau des fesses — exorbitant amount
  • French: coûter la peau du cul — exorbitant amount
  • German: ein Germogens kosten — exorbitant amount
  • German: Kopf und Kragen kosten — exorbitant amount
  • Hungarian: borsos ár — exorbitant amount
  • Hungarian: a gatyája is rámegy — exorbitant amount
  • Italian: occhio della testa — exorbitant amount
  • Luxembourgish: d'Aen aus dem Kapp kaschten. — exorbitant amount
  • Norwegian Bokmål: det hvite ut av øynene — exorbitant amount
  • Polish: zawrotna suma — exorbitant amount
  • Portuguese: olho da cara — exorbitant amount
  • Russian: сто́ить це́лое состоя́ние (stóitʹ céloje sostojánije) — exorbitant amount
  • Russian: кру́гленькая су́мма (krúglenʹkaja súmma) — exorbitant amount
  • Spanish: riñón — exorbitant amount
  • Spanish: ojo de la cara — exorbitant amount
  • Swedish: skjortan — exorbitant amount
  • Swedish: kosta skjortan — exorbitant amount
  • Ukrainian: коштувати цілий статок (koštuvaty cilyj statok) — exorbitant amount
  • Ukrainian: кругленька сума (kruhlenʹka suma) — exorbitant amount
  • Vietnamese: giá cắt cổ — exorbitant amount
  • Vietnamese: giá trên trời — exorbitant amount