AI for Breakfast

Post 73 - It’s a bank holiday, Idiom of the Day

Costs an arm and a leg

Created in ChatGPT using my custom Idiom Generator GPT! Give it an idiom and it generated the following info:

Figurative Meaning

The expression "costs an arm and a leg" is used to describe something that is very expensive, to the point of being unreasonably costly. It implies that the price is so high that it's akin to giving up something extremely valuable or vital, like one’s own limbs.

Typical Usage

This idiom is often employed in both casual and formal conversations to emphasize the high cost of an item or service. For example, someone might say, "The repairs on the car cost me an arm and a leg," to stress how expensive the service was. It's a hyperbolic way of saying that something was a significant financial burden.

Origin

The origin of the phrase "costs an arm and a leg" is not precisely known, but there are several theories. One common belief is that it originated in the early 20th century. However, there is no definitive evidence linking it to any specific event or practice from history.

One popular but unfounded theory suggests that the phrase derives from the practices of portrait painters. Centuries ago, paintings were a luxury, and the cost would increase if the portrait included more body parts – with full-body portraits (including arms and legs) being the most expensive. However, this story lacks historical evidence.

Another theory posits that it comes from the idea of soldiers paying a high price—losing limbs in battle—for their involvement in wars, thus metaphorically "costing them an arm and a leg." This interpretation, while evocative, also lacks direct historical documentation to confirm its validity as the origin.

Despite the unclear historical roots, the phrase has become widely understood and used in English-speaking cultures to denote high cost or value.