Phrase guide

price on someone's head

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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A compensation for capturing or killing someone, especially a criminal.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • The police put a price on his head after he killed four innocent women.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From the earlier punishment of beheading criminals. The usage of this idiom began in the mid-1700s.

Across languages

Translations

1 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Spanish: precio por su cabeza — verb