Have you ever paid an arm and a leg?

Today’s English
May 29th, 2017

You can pay somebody money. But can you pay an arm and a leg? Yes, you can.  The English expression “pay an arm and a leg" simply means “spending a lot of money for something."  Similarly “I paid through the nose” also refers to spending too much of money.

1.Thilagavathi paid an arm and a leg to complete her PhD.
2.I’m afraid, I have to pay an arm and a leg for my daughter’s marriage.

If you spend a little time regularly to improve yourself each day, it will produce good results one day. In English, it is said that it "pays dividends" for you.

1.I paid 30 minutes a day to improve my English and it paid dividends at the time of interview.
2.I used to play regularly on my school days and it has paid dividends now. I’m rarely sick.

But beware of the expression “pay your last respect to somebody” that means you attended somebody’s funeral.”

1.I paid my last respect to him last year.
2.He is such a sincere manager. Let’s pay our last respect without fail.

During freedom struggle, many great leaders died for the freedom of India. If anybody dies for a noble reason, in English, “to pay the ultimate price” expression is used.

1.She paid the ultimate price while saving her two children from the accident.
2.Every soldier has to get ready to pay the ultimate price for the sake of his nation.

Remember that in English “pay for something you have done” means “you have to suffer or undergo a punishment for the wrongs you have done”

(Lady : why are you following me up to my house?

Man: sorry.

Lady: stop giving me a missed call from various numbers and troubling me.

Man: sorry.

Lady: why do you send unwanted messages to me?

Man : sorry.

Lady. You have to pay for all these things. Then only I’ll feel ok.

Man: Tell me how much I should pay? In cash, by card or through paytm?

Lady: …………..?!)