Meanings
From Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, in which Antonio literally owes a pound of his flesh to the moneylender Shylock.
How to pronounce "pound of flesh":
AU
Something which is owed and which will be hurtful or difficult to provide; a debt owed to someone who is merciless and demanding.
Example Sentences
1
The landlord insisted on getting his pound of flesh and refused to return the security deposit.
2
The prosecutor seemed determined to have his pound of flesh and asked for the maximum penalty.
3
The loan shark demanded his pound of flesh and threatened to break the borrower's legs if he didn't pay up.
4
The greedy businessman always wanted his pound of flesh and would do anything to maximize his profits.
5
The boss wanted his pound of flesh from the employees and expected them to work long hours without overtime pay.
