“Break the Bank”
💭 Meaning
To “break the bank” means to cost an excessive amount of money, i.e., spending far more than intended or than one can reasonably afford.
✍️ Examples
Henry reassured parents that a strong college essay doesn't require expensive consultants or breaking the bank on services.
Applying to a dozen schools can break the bank once you factor in application fees alone.
Henry told his student that a thoughtful thank-you note works just as well as an expensive gift; there’s no need to break the bank.
📜 Origin
The phrase originates from gambling, specifically casino games like roulette, where a player who won more money than the “bank" (the house's total reserve) had available was said to “break the bank." This meant the casino literally couldn't cover the payout without replenishing its funds. By the 19th century, the phrase had moved beyond casinos into everyday English, used more broadly to describe spending an amount of money significant enough to cause financial strain. I’ve also always connected the saying to what Sailor Moon is doing in the GIF above: literally breaking the bank to collect every last penny to pay for something.
