A colleague, in a know-it-all way, told me the etymology of things costing an "arm and a leg." He said that it stems from portrait painters from long ago who charged much more for portraits which included the hands and feet. He said that is why we often don't see hands or feet in paintings, and that is why oftentimes paintings have the hand tucked in the shirt.

I wanted to verify this. I tried Word Detective, World Wide Words, A Bit about Words, Google, the idiom site posted in our links, and I can't find it. I would love to find my colleague wrong! Does anybody know of a reference for this saying?

God said, "Adam, I have given you a garden to live in, with plenty of amenities. Is there anything else you think you might need?"

Adam said, "There is. I'd like to have a wife."

God slapped His own forehead and said, "Great idea! Why didn't I think of that? Can you describe the wife you want, Adam?"

"She should be smart, but not too smart," quoth Adam, "and she should be a great cook and excellent homemaker, as well as being great in bed."

God had been busy punching numbers into His calculator. He said, "I can arrange to get you a wife that fits that description, but I have some bad news. It's gonna cost you an arm and a leg."

Adam thought that over for a minute, then said, "What can I get for a rib?"

Wasn't it Henny Penny who went looking for a spouse at the market and was told she could get one, but it would cost her a nominal egg?

(Pa da BOM)

Haberdasher, that was wonderful! Let's all give him a standing ovulation!

I didn't make it up. And I don't think Lederer (if you go a-googling you'll find him using it too) made it up originally either...

This is all interesting stuff, guys, but does anyone know where the phrase came from? Perhaps it is like "9 ways from Sunday" where no one knows.