One traditional story of how the phrase an arm and a leg came into use was through the charges of portrait painters. This may be an urban myth but it was what I learned a long time ago so I’m gonna share it with you. Portrait painters charged less for paintings that were just of a head and shoulders. If the subject wanted a picture with his or her limbs depicted, it would cost more. Thus the phrase “it cost an arm and a leg.”
Really, it may have been the cost of the canvas as one would presume that a full body portrait would call for a bigger piece of canvas than that of just an upper torso and face, right?
Anyway, I like this story of the etymology of this phrase. If you know of another theory, don’t tell me ’cause I don’t wanna know!
Jillian Chantal 
I’ve heard this same thing. I found it interesting. Love your Friday facts. 🙂
By: Ciara Knight on August 26, 2011
at 7:13 am
Thanks Ciara. Sometimes I have to dig deep for them. My secretary suggested this one as I had told her this years ago.
By: Jillian Chantal on August 26, 2011
at 7:24 am
The part about this that gets me is that it makes so much damn sense! LOL One of those slap-your-forehead things. Great, great Friday fact!
By: danicaavet on August 26, 2011
at 7:32 am
Oy It does make sense but don’t hurt yourself. Lol.
By: Jillian Chantal on August 26, 2011
at 7:43 am
Strange how phrases like this stick. I get a kick out the change in word meaning over the years too.
By: Lavada Dee on August 26, 2011
at 10:57 am
I just love words and thses kinds of things make me glow inside. FUN!
By: Jillian Chantal on August 26, 2011
at 1:09 pm