Cost a fortune
Meaning
To be extremely expensive or require a very large amount of money.
Origin
The power of 'cost a fortune' comes from the word 'fortune' itself, a term that has long swayed between destiny and daring. While initially conjuring images of luck or fate in the 14th century, by the 16th century, 'fortune' had firmly grasped a second, equally potent meaning: a vast, often inherited, amount of wealth. So, when something 'costs a fortune,' it isn't just expensive; it implies a price so steep it could devour an entire lifetime's earnings, an inheritance, or even a king's ransom. The phrase isn't born from some specific historical event or quirky anecdote, but rather from the simple, yet dramatic, act of equating a purchase with the expenditure of one's entire destiny, making it a vivid and timeless shorthand for exorbitant expense.
Examples
- The vintage car he bought for his collection must have cost a fortune.
- Renovating their entire house will certainly cost a fortune, but they believe it will be worth every penny.