Idiom Topics

  • The Ubiquitous Essentials

    10
    • On the other hand
    • At the end of the day
    • In the long run
    • Bear in mind
    • A piece of cake
    • Keep an eye on
    • Out of the blue
    • Rule of thumb
    • So far, so good
    • Behind the scenes

  • Everyday Casual & Workplace

    10
    • Under the weather
    • Call it a day
    • Up in the air
    • Wrap your head around
    • Break the ice
    • Get out of hand
    • Go the extra mile
    • Touch base
    • Hit the nail on the head
    • Cut corners

  • Problem Solving & Interaction

    10
    • See eye to eye
    • Read between the lines
    • Take it with a grain of salt
    • Get the hang of it
    • Give the benefit of the doubt
    • The elephant in the room
    • Hit the ground running
    • Play it by ear
    • Bite the bullet
    • Sit on the fence

  • Decisions & Perspectives

    9
    • Jump on the bandwagon
    • Cross that bridge when we come to it
    • The best of both worlds
    • A blessing in disguise
    • Once in a blue moon
    • Pull someone's leg
    • Miss the boat
    • Better late than never
    • Get your act together

  • Colorful & Traditional

    10
    • Spill the beans
    • Let the cat out of the bag
    • Bite off more than you can chew
    • Go back to the drawing board
    • Barking up the wrong tree
    • Actions speak louder than words
    • A penny for your thoughts
    • Break a leg
    • Hit the sack
    • Beat around the bush

  • Academic & Formal Discourse

    10
    • Bear fruit
    • Pave the way
    • Shed light on
    • Go hand in hand
    • Tip the scales
    • Fly in the face of
    • Bring to the table
    • Turn a blind eye
    • Draw a blank
    • State of the art

  • Emotions & Reactions

    10
    • Over the moon
    • Down in the dumps
    • On edge
    • Blow off steam
    • Keep your cool
    • Drive someone up the wall
    • On cloud nine
    • A weight off my shoulders
    • At your wits' end
    • Thrilled to bits

  • Effort, Success, & Failure

    10
    • Start from scratch
    • Pass with flying colors
    • Fall flat
    • Go down the drain
    • Keep your head above water
    • Pay off
    • Throw in the towel
    • Make headway
    • Uphill battle
    • Back to square one

  • Time, Speed, & Urgency

    10
    • Beat the clock
    • At the eleventh hour
    • Around the clock
    • In the nick of time
    • Drag your feet
    • Time flies
    • Make up for lost time
    • Call time on
    • Ahead of the curve
    • On the spur of the moment

  • Resources, Money, & Value

    10
    • Make ends meet
    • Foot the bill
    • Break the bank
    • Tighten your belt
    • Bang for your buck
    • A drop in the ocean
    • Make a killing
    • On a shoestring budget
    • Worth your weight in gold
    • Pay top dollar

Pay top dollar

Learn the meaning, origin, and usage of the idiom "Pay top dollar" with five example sentences across different contexts. This idiom is part of ourResources, Money, & Value collection for PTE and IELTS preparation.

Resources, Money, & Value

Pay top dollar

Pay top dollar
To pay the highest amount of money possible for something, usually because it is of premium quality, rare, or in very high demand.
History & Origin

The idiom originated in mid-20th century American commerce, combining the concept of 'top' meaning the highest level of quality or price with the United States currency. It gained widespread popularity during the post-WWII economic boom as consumer culture shifted toward premium, high-end luxury goods. The phrase reflects a literal mindset where the 'top' bill on a stack represents the absolute maximum limit of a budget.

Examples
Workplace Email

If we want to secure a developer with expertise in machine learning, we will need to pay top dollar to match market rates.

Casual Conversation

I had to pay top dollar for these concert tickets because I bought them last minute, but the front-row seats were totally worth it.

Academic Writing

Research indicates that affluent consumers are consistently willing to pay top dollar for organic goods, equating premium pricing with superior health benefits.

News/Media

Tech giants are paying top dollar to acquire promising AI startups before their competitors can corner the market.

Formal Speech

To our stakeholders, let me clarify: while we did pay top dollar for this real estate, its strategic location guarantees long-term appreciation.

Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses the idiom correctly?

A. The company was broke, so they had to pay top dollar for their office supplies to save cash.

B. Collectors are willing to pay top dollar for rare vintage watches that are in mint condition.

C. She negotiated a heavy discount at the flea market and managed to pay top dollar for the old chair.

D. He forgot his wallet, so he asked his friend to pay top dollar for his cheap cup of coffee.