king's ransom | Idiomator

Meaning: (idiomatic)A very large sum ofmoney.1825,Sir Walter Scott, chapter 12, inThe Talisman:"But to yonder pavilion . . . the moon is glimmering on the gilded ball which crowns its roof, and which is worth aking's ransom."1967March 10,Archeology: An Ill-Starred Treasure Comes into Its Own(pictorial),LIFE,page 101:These gold, silver and pewter pieces are part of aking’s ransomof Spanish treasure salvaged from the sea off Florida where they had lain for 250 years.1986March 24, Bernice Kanner, “The Real James Bond: Jim Lebenthal’s Tax-Bill Crusade”, inNew York,page46:“[…]This commercial message is sponsored by Lebenthal in the heartfelt belief that we’re not the only ones who are going to miss the bonds when they’re gone and it costs aking’s ransomto turn on the lights, boil water, or haul the garbage.”2005, Michael R. Matthews, Colin F. Gauld, Arthur Stinner, “The Pendulum: Its Place in Science, Culture and Pedagogy”, in Michael R. Matthews, Colin F. Gauld, Arthur Stinner, editors,The Pendulum: Scientific, Historical, Philosophical and Educational Perspectives,page 7:Solving longitude was one of the major preoccupations of European nations from the fifteenth to the eighteenth centuries.King’s ransomswere offered for its solution.2010,Jane Feather,Rushed to the Altar, Pocket Books, published2010,→ISBN,page386:Except that Clarissa Astley would not have been decked out in aking's ransomof diamonds.

Examples:

EN: Enough to pay a king's ransom.
ES: Suficiente para pagar el rescate de un rey.
EN: Surely there's always the little matter of the king's ransom.
ES: Seguramente está siempre el pequeño asunto del rescate de un rey.
ES: Seguramente siempre está el pequeño asunto del rescate del rey.
EN: These are contracts worth a king's ransom.
ES: Estos contratos valen el rescate de un rey.
EN: A king's ransom!
ES: - El rescate de un rey.
EN: And mark you, gentlemen, the day will come when the favor of Quantrill will be worth a king's ransom.
ES: y sepan, señores, que algún día el favor de Quantrill valdrá el rescate de un rey.
EN: It cost a king's ransom to hire a short-handed train crew.
ES: Cuesta el rescate de un rey contratar una tripulación de tren limitada.
EN: When he took to Panama City, he took a king's ransom not all of it's been accounted for.
ES: Cuando tomó Panamá se llevó un grandioso botín, una parte aún no se ha recobrado.
EN: And the treasure a king's ransom.
ES: Y el tesoro es digno de un rey.
EN: As long as you go with it, it's still worth a king's ransom.
ES: No la menosprecies Todavía tienen valor para el rescate de un rey.
EN: It's twice enough, even counting the king's ransom you asked.
ES: Es el doble de la suma desproporcionada que nos pidieron.
EN: He's got a king's ransom aboard here.
ES: Aquí hay una fortuna.
EN: But when you're slicing up a king's ransom, there's enough for everyone.
ES: Menos mal que la tajada es tan grande que habrá para todos.
EN: For your ship, a king's ransom in jewels.
ES: A cambio, te doy el rescate de un rey.
EN: - A king's ransom.
ES: Es parte de la colección - De Roventry.
EN: I wouldn't be in your shoes for a king's ransom.
ES: Por nada del mundo quisiera estar en tus zapatos.

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