💸 Highway Robbery: The Price of Overcharged Excuses 🏴☠️
Origin and Meaning
The idiom “highway robbery” is an age-old expression that draws its roots from a time when actual thieves, often called highwaymen, would rob travelers at gunpoint on country roads. The term has since evolved to describe exorbitant prices that are so shockingly high, they feel as unfair as being mugged on an open road.
👉 Example in Literature: J. B. Priestley drops it effortlessly in It’s An Old Country (1967), lamenting over overpriced wine: “Nothing on the wine list under two-pound-ten. Highway robbery by candlelight.”
Synonyms:
- Price gouging
- Rip-off
- Overcharge
- Swindle
- Extortion
Antonyms:
- Bargain
- Deal
- Steal (ironically)
- Fair price
- Discount
Common Similar Expressions:
- Robbery in broad daylight – Highly conspicuous wrongdoing or overpricing.
- Fleecing – To defraud or take unfair advantage of.
- Arm and leg pricing – Extremely expensive, costing much more than it should.
- Cutthroat pricing – Extremely aggressive pricing tactics resulting in minimal profitability.
- Ripping someone off – Cheating someone financially by charging them more than the value.
Humor-Filled Quotes:
- Bob Smith on concert tickets: “Buying those front-row seats felt like I was signing up for a bank loan with each click!”
- Anonymous food critic: “That steak was tasty, but my wallet barely survived the assault!”
Related Proverbs:
- “A fool and his money are soon parted.”
- “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.”
Suggested Literary and Pop Culture References:
- Books: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald – Discusses themes of wealth and excess.
- Movies: Catch Me If You Can – A film about deception and overcharging in various forms.
- Songs: “Money, Money, Money” by ABBA – An anthem about the pursuit of wealth.
- Poetry: “The Rape of the Lock” by Alexander Pope – Satirical take on social extravagances.
- Comics: The Adventures of Tintin: The Black Island – Tintin encounters higher-than-fair prices in his adventures, metaphorically a highway robbery in exchange forms.
Quizzes:
In conclusion, watch out for the swindlers on modern roads of transaction! Always keep in mind the thin line between fair deal and highway robbery.
Best,
Penny Lessworth
“In a world where prices can feel like they’re prowling to snatch up your fortune, remember to stand your ground and spend judiciously.”
(First published: October 1, 2023)
