Pay through the nose

Pay through the nose

Pay through the nose is an English expression. To "pay through the nose" for an item is to pay a very high price for that item.

There are several competing folk derivations of this phrase, but they are regarded by philology as somewhat far-fetched.

One derivation holds that it is a reference to the Danish poll tax on the Irish in the ninth century. The story goes that the Danes slit the noses of non-payers. However, the phrase did not appear in print until 1672.

Another possible explanation is placed on Viking raiders. Vikings required the payment of tribute from cities they did not raid. If the king refused to pay tribute, they would slit their noses. Hence, the king paid "through" the nose.

Another explanation relies on the use of rhino as a slang for money. Rhinos is the Greek word for nose, thus a rather loose connection is supposed to be set up between paying and noses. A nosebleed is a metaphor for being "bled dry" of money.

In sixteenth-century English, Italian, Greek and Latin, however, there is a well-established expression, "to lead by the nose," which means to force or control someone's actions, as a farmer would lead a bull by a ring through its nose. It also has connotations of making a fool of someone. ( 'led by the nose, as asses are' (Othello, Act I, Sc 3). Thus, to pay through the nose could have originated as an extension of this, denoting payment for something at a premium because of a lack of alternative options.


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • pay through the nose — (for sth) INFORMAL ► to pay too much money for something: »There s no point in getting a bargain flight only to pay through the nose for car hire. Main Entry: ↑pay …   Financial and business terms

  • pay through the nose — If you pay through the nose for something, you pay a very high price for it …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • pay through the nose — ► pay through the nose informal pay much more than a fair price. Main Entry: ↑pay …   English terms dictionary

  • pay through the nose — pay high rates for rent or service, cost an arm...    If you rent a condo in Dover, you ll pay through the nose …   English idioms

  • pay through the nose — phrasal : to pay exorbitantly or dearly * * * pay through the nose To pay more than the fair price, to pay dearly • • • Main Entry: ↑pay * * * informal pay much more than a fair price * * * pay through the nose informal : to pay a very high price …   Useful english dictionary

  • pay through the nose — {v. phr.}, {informal} To pay at a very high rate; pay too much. * /He had wanted experience, but this job seemed like paying through the nose for it./ * /There was a shortage of cars; if you found one for sale, you had to pay through the nose./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • pay through the nose — {v. phr.}, {informal} To pay at a very high rate; pay too much. * /He had wanted experience, but this job seemed like paying through the nose for it./ * /There was a shortage of cars; if you found one for sale, you had to pay through the nose./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • pay\ through\ the\ nose — v. phr. informal To pay at a very high rate; pay too much. He had wanted experience, but this job seemed like paying through the nose for it. There was a shortage of cars; if you found one for sale, you had to pay through the nose …   Словарь американских идиом

  • pay through the nose — verb To pay a high price, especially an exorbitant or excessive amount, either in money or in some other manner. Youll pay through the nose for this, you scoundrel, Sexton whimpered. Ill fix you, you traitor …   Wiktionary

  • pay through the nose —    If you pay through the nose for something, you pay a very high price for it.   (Dorking School Dictionary) …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

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