Definition

1. Noun:
   • A very large sum of money or a treasure of immense value: The phrase "king's ransom" refers to an exorbitant or extremely large amount of money, wealth, or valuables, often used hyperbolically to emphasize great cost or worth.

Usage

• The term is used as a singular noun, typically preceded by the indefinite article "a" (e.g., ).
• It functions as a metaphor, comparing a large sum to the hypothetical ransom one would pay for the release of a captured king, which would be enormous.
• It is often used in informal or literary contexts to describe something as being very expensive or valuable.

Examples

• Noun:
  • That rare painting sold for a king's ransom at the auction.
  • He spent a king's ransom renovating his historic mansion.
  • The jewelry was worth a king's ransom.

Advanced Usage

• The phrase can be used figuratively to describe non-monetary things of great perceived value or cost.
  • She invested a king's ransom of time and effort into her research project.

Variants and Related Words

• Fortune (n): a large amount of money or assets.
  • He made a fortune in the tech industry.
• A pretty penny (idiom, n): a considerable sum of money.
  • That car must have cost a pretty penny.

Synonyms

• A fortune: A very large amount of money.
• A mint: A vast sum of money (informal).
• A pile (informal): A lot of money.

Related Idioms

• Cost an arm and a leg: To be very expensive.
  • Getting the car repaired is going to cost an arm and a leg.
• Pay through the nose: To pay an excessively high price.
  • We paid through the nose for those concert tickets.

Notes

• "King's ransom" is a fixed phrase. The possessive form ("king's") is always used.
• It is not typically used in a literal context about an actual ransom payment for a monarch in modern English. Its use is almost entirely metaphorical to signify great expense or value.

Noun

1. a very large treasure