top dollarn.adj.
/ˌtɒp ˈdɒlə/, U.S. /ˌtɑp ˈdɑlər/ colloquial (originally U.S.).
A. n.
The highest price or amount paid, or likely to be paid, for something; (more generally) a very high price.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > monetary value > price > high price or rate > [noun]
price1866
premium rate1946
1895 Evening Times (Washington, D.C.) 18 Dec. 7/4 27 country horses to be sold for the top dollar.
1935 El Paso (Texas) Herald-Post 23 May 19/7 (advt.) Wanted..burned, wrecked, or running cars and trucks. We pay top dollar.
1992 Discover Feb. 17/1 (advt.) Organizations everywhere are paying top dollar for PC programmers.
2021 Times (Nexis) 4 Dec. Good examples command top dollar at auction houses around the world.
B. adj.
Very expensive; top-of-the-range.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > monetary value > price > high price or rate > [adjective]
high1542
strong1599
rank1604
exorbitant1670
extravagant1707
stiff1824
sky-high1829
steep1856
stratospherical1936
society > trade and finance > monetary value > price > high price or rate > [adjective] > dear or expensive
dear1044
costful1340
costious1340
costlewa1387
costlya1400
costy?c1430
prized1500
high1542
high-priced1591
expenseful1605
chary1610
expensivea1661
salt1710
dearthful1786
big ticket1906
pricey1932
exclusive1942
up-market1972
1950 Robesonian (Lumberton, N. Carolina) 19 June 8 It's a Top Dollar car.
1984 Colorado Springs Gaz. 23 Aug. C6/4 There is an aura of extreme civility in the fancy hotels and at the black-tie parties and in the many top-dollar restaurants.
2021 Hobart Mercury (Austral.) (Nexis) 28 Oct. 15 It wasn't just top dollar items gaining attention, with treasured trinkets and baffling ‘mystery items’ welcome.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2022).
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n.adj.1895