Cost an arm and a leg

Origin

The vivid imagery of "cost an arm and a leg" likely emerged in the aftermath of major 20th-century conflicts, particularly World War I and World War II. During these brutal wars, countless soldiers returned home having paid the ultimate physical price, losing limbs on the battlefield. This devastating sacrifice served as a stark metaphor for anything that demanded an extraordinarily high cost. The phrase quickly became a powerful, albeit grim, shorthand to describe any expense or endeavor that seemed to demand an unbearable, almost limb-shattering price, moving from the visceral reality of war into everyday language to denote extreme expensiveness.