1. Home
2. Idioms
3. pay through the nose

pay through the nose

---

---

pay through the nose

(for something) Go to pay an arm and a leg (for something).

See also: nose, pay

pay through the nose

to pay too much for something If you bring a car into the city, you have to pay through the nose for parking it.

See also: nose, pay

pay through the nose

  (informal)

to pay too much for something (usually + for ) If you want a decent wine in a restaurant, you have to pay through the nose for it.

See also: nose, pay

pay through the nose

Pay an excessive amount for something, as in We paid through the nose for that vacation. The origin of this term has been lost. Possibly it alludes to the Danish nose tax, imposed in Ireland in the 9th century, whereby delinquent taxpayers were punished by having their noses slit. [Second half of 1600s]

See also: nose, pay

pay through the nose

Informal

To pay excessively.

See also: nose, pay