Pay Through the Nose
Pedagogically reviewed by LexFizz Team
To pay an excessively high and unfair price for something.
Quick meaning: If you pay through the nose, you pay far too much money for something — a price that feels unfair, painful, or much higher than the thing is really worth.
Meaning
To pay through the nose means to pay an amount of money that is much higher than it should be. The phrase carries a strong sense of being overcharged, ripped off, or forced to hand over far more cash than the goods or service deserve. It always suggests that the price is unreasonable and that the payer feels the cost keenly.
People use this idiom when something is expensive in a way that feels almost like a punishment. You might pay through the nose for a last-minute plane ticket, for repairs to your car, or for a tiny flat in the centre of a big city. The expression highlights the emotional sting of spending too much, not just the size of the bill.
It is usually followed by “for” plus the thing you bought: “We paid through the nose for those concert tickets.” The opposite idea would be getting a bargain or paying “next to nothing.”
Origin
The most colourful theory traces this phrase to a Viking “nose tax” said to have been imposed in 9th-century Ireland. According to the story, those who refused or failed to pay the levy had their noses slit as a brutal punishment — making the tax a painful and humiliating burden on the conquered population. Whether or not the historical detail is fully accurate, it captures the idiom’s flavour perfectly: a payment that hurts.
Other word historians link the phrase to the slang word “rhino,” which meant money in 17th-century English. The connection between “rhino” (with its prominent nose) and the idea of bleeding money may have helped the expression stick. The phrase appears in English writing from the 17th century onward. Figurative expressions of this kind are the sort of entry catalogued by major reference works such as the Cambridge Dictionary, which track how idiomatic meanings develop and spread.
Whatever its exact roots, the imagery is vivid: paying so much that it feels like a physical pain centred on the nose.
Example Sentences
We had to pay through the nose for a hotel room because every other place in town was fully booked.
If you wait until the last minute to book flights, you’ll pay through the nose.
The garage charged so much for a simple repair that I felt I was paying through the nose.
Dialogue Example
A: Nice new phone! Was it expensive?
B: Honestly, I paid through the nose for it. I should have waited for the sale — it dropped fifty pounds the next week.
Usage Notes
This idiom is informal and very common in everyday conversation in both British and American English. It is almost always used about money and prices, and it carries a negative, slightly frustrated tone. You normally pay through the nose for something, so remember to add “for” before naming the item.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes say “pay from the nose” or “pay by the nose” — the correct preposition is through. Also, do not use this idiom for normal, fair prices; it specifically means paying too much. Saying “I paid through the nose and got a great deal” is contradictory.
Related Idioms
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Quick Check: Pay Through the Nose
2 questions — test what you just learned.
1. What does “Pay Through the Nose” mean?
2. Complete the sentence: “We had to _____ for a hotel room because every other place in town was fully booked.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “pay through the nose” mean?
It means to pay an excessively high and unfair price for something — far more money than the item or service is really worth.
How do you use “pay through the nose” in a sentence?
Use it with “for” plus the thing you bought, as in “We paid through the nose for the tickets.” It expresses frustration at being overcharged.
Where does “pay through the nose” come from?
One popular theory links it to a Viking “nose tax” in 9th-century Ireland, a painful levy on the conquered. Others connect it to the old slang word “rhino” meaning money. The phrase appears in English from the 17th century.
Is “pay through the nose” formal or informal?
It is informal and very common in everyday speech and casual writing. It is not usually used in formal or technical documents.
What preposition goes with “pay through the nose”?
Use “for” to name the item, as in “pay through the nose for a taxi.” The idiom itself always uses “through,” not “from” or “by.”
What is the opposite of “pay through the nose”?
The opposite is getting a bargain or paying “next to nothing” — paying a low, fair, or surprisingly small amount.
Is “pay through the nose” used in American English?
Yes. It is widely used and understood in both British and American English, with the same informal, frustrated meaning.
Does it always involve money?
Yes, it specifically refers to paying money. It is about an unfairly high price, not about other kinds of cost or effort.
What are common collocations with “pay through the nose”?
Common patterns include “pay through the nose for tickets,” “pay through the nose for repairs,” and “end up paying through the nose.”
What English level is “pay through the nose” suitable for?
It is pitched at B1 (Intermediate) level. The vocabulary is simple, but learners need to understand its figurative, idiomatic meaning.