Cheap at half the price
Suggest a CorrectionMeaning
A humorous way to call something very expensive; it is also sometimes used illogically to praise a bargain. Potentially ambiguous. Publish only with an origin note that explains the competing readings. Regional use: British English, humorous.
Origin
This deliberately or accidentally inverted form of 'cheap at twice the price' is attested in the 19th century. British dictionaries disagree in emphasis because speakers use it both ironically and as a fossilised bargain cry. The ironic 'very expensive' reading is the clearest modern use and should be signalled in examples.
Usage Examples
- The tasting menu was ninety pounds before drinks: cheap at half the price, as Dad observed dryly.
- They wanted a month's wages for the repair, so it was cheap at half the price in the most sarcastic sense.
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