pay through the nose for something 出高价，花大价钱

在中世纪的英国，如果一个人没有缴税，那么他的鼻子就会被用刀刺穿一个洞以示惩罚。这正是 pay through the nose for something “通过鼻子支付”这个说法最初的含义，之后被引申成“为某事物花大价钱，支付高出合理的费用”。

例句

We went on vacation during the school holidays. Of course we had to pay through the nose for our tickets as they always put the prices up then.

If you order a good bottle of wine in a restaurant you really pay through the nose for it.

Some people don't mind paying through the nose for brands they like.

请注意

另一个可以用来表示“花一大笔钱”的说法是 an arm and a leg “一只胳膊和一条腿”，有时我们也说 pay an arm and a leg for something。如果我们需要“付出”一只胳膊或一条腿才能得到某物，那么“代价”显然是极其高昂的。

例句

Fuel is so expensive these days. It costs an arm and a leg to fill up the car.

Never order water in a restaurant; it costs an arm and a leg.