highway robbery
noun
robbery committed on a highway against travelers, as by a highwayman.
Informal.
a price or fee that is unreasonably high; exorbitant charge.
Origin of highway robbery
First recorded in 1770–80
OTHER WORDS FROM highway robbery
highway robber, nounWords nearby highway robbery
highwall,
highway,
highway code,
highway contract route,
highway patrol,
highway robbery,
highwayman,
higoumenakia sign,
hih,
hii region,
hiiumaa
British Dictionary definitions for highway robbery
highway robbery
noun
informal
blatant overcharging
Idioms and Phrases with highway robbery
highway robbery
The exaction of an exorbitantly high price or fee. For example, You paid ten dollars for that meat? That's highway robbery. This term, used figuratively since the late 1800s, alludes to literal robbery of travelers on or near a public road.