top dollar
20
5.1
- noun
- US
:
precio máximo
- The rare painting fetched top dollar at the auction, reflecting its value to collectors.
- pay top dollar
Why would you want to do it yourself or pay top dollar for less value?
- Why would you want to do it yourself or pay top dollar for less value?
- So these people say, Nope, we need to charge top dollar for the healthcare.
- People would pay top dollar to peg you, son.
Examples
-
You would get top dollar for your house should you have one.
Blog text (24) -
I want it all—lock, stock, and barrel—and I'm prepared to pay top dollar for any outstanding stock.
Fiction book (1991) -
Why would you want to do it yourself or pay top dollar for less value?
-
And you want me to pay top dollar for it?
-
- Look, I know a guy that would pay top dollar for this stuff.
-
And if the Chinese can pay top dollar, then the producers are going to ship to them.
Blog text (26) -
The better the home shows, the more likely the seller will get top dollar.
Blog text (10) -
Law firms are hiring large classes of lawyers and are paying top dollar to get them.
Academic text (2000) -
They're very selective, and they take a lot of pride in paying top dollar.
Fiction book (1991) -
My dream clients have lots of work, pay top dollar, respect what writers do, and have generous deadlines.
Academic text (2010)
Synonyms
91
4.3
The highest possible amount or level
1
3.1
The highest amount ever paid for something
Antonyms
How Expensive
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'the highest possible price' is directly and predictably derived from 'top' (highest) modifying 'dollar' (a unit of money), so a learner who knows both words can infer the sense. This adjectival‑modifier + monetary‑unit pattern is common and cross‑linguistically transparent, making the expression accessible to a B1 learner.
Etymology
Top dollar may come from a simple image: the biggest bills sit on the top of a money stack, or the largest price is shown at the top of a list. So, top dollar means 'the highest possible price' today.