Definition
Something which is owed and which will be hurtful or difficult to provide; a debt owed to someone who is merciless and demanding.
Origins
From Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, in which Antonio literally owes a pound of his flesh to the moneylender Shylock.
In Context
- "You must be under the impression that I'm one of these damned New England sharks that get their pound of flesh off the widow and orphan."
- "When I wake up in my makeup / It's too early for that dress / Wilted and faded somewhere in Hollywood / I'm glad I came here with your pound of flesh"
- "[…] [Trinamool] Congress [Party] will need to strike deals with other regional allies, such as Mulayam Singh Yadav in Uttar Pradesh. Their pound of flesh will be anti-reform, too."