small fortune
small fortune — noun
1. an amount of money that is large enough to be meaningful or noticeable in a pers
an amount of money that is large enough to be meaningful or noticeable in a person's life or financial plans — used when talking about spending, saving, or paying a surprisingly big sum.
Obi spent a small fortune on new furniture for his apartment in Seoul.
spend + a small fortune + on [item]
Sivan paid a small fortune for her daughter's university tuition this year.
pay + a small fortune + for [service/education]
Manuela saved a small fortune by cooking all her meals at home.
Hoa calculated that the legal fees would cost a small fortune.
Nikhil's car repairs cost a small fortune after the accident on the highway.
- a bundle
more informal, often used in American English
- a mint
similar in tone, suggests the sum feels excessive
- a lot of money
neutral register, less colourful
- pocket change
emphasises a trivial, insignificant amount
- peanuts
very informal, suggests the amount is laughably small
文法句型
cost/pay/spend/save + a small fortune
a small fortune + on [something]
用法筆記
The word 'small' is used ironically — the phrase always refers to a large sum of money, never a small one. It requires the indefinite article 'a'; 'the small fortune' is not idiomatic.
常見錯誤
2. an amount of money that is surprisingly or unexpectedly large, especially when c
an amount of money that is surprisingly or unexpectedly large, especially when charged for something modest or discovered as the value of an ordinary-looking item.
Darius was astonished when the plumber charged a small fortune for a fifteen-minute job.
charge + a small fortune + for [short service] — surprise at price
Greta paid a small fortune for a simple sandwich at the airport food court.
pay + a small fortune + for [ordinary item]
Rachel was shocked that her cat's surgery cost a small fortune.
Min discovered that an old painting in the attic was worth a small fortune.
- an arm and a leg
idiomatic, very informal, emphasises excessive cost
- a king's ransom
literary or old-fashioned, suggests the sum is extravagantly large
文法句型
charge/quote + a small fortune + for [modest item]
be worth + a small fortune
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 by the element of surprise: this sense emphasises that the amount feels disproportionate to what was expected or to the item in question. Common with verbs like 'charge', 'quote', and 'be worth'.