top dollar

English

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Noun

top dollar (countable and uncountable, plural top dollars)

1. (chiefly US, idiomatic) The maximum amount of money that an item, service, or worker is worth; a very high price.
   • 1947 September 8, “Aces Up”, in Time:

     Within six months, Goodie was back in radio, earning just about the top dollar for a writer ($3,000 weekly) as Danny Kaye's chief scripter.

   • 2006 December 6, “Many ways to say cheese”, in Toronto Star, page F2:

     Consumers are willing to pay top dollar for distinctive, rare, traditional cheeses.