What Does “Put a Price on Someone’s Head” Mean?
Definition:
To “put a price on someone’s head” means to offer a reward for someone’s capture or death. This idiom is often associated with bounty hunting and wanted posters, where authorities or other parties promise a monetary reward for information leading to the apprehension of a criminal or fugitive.
Synonyms and Related Idioms:
Here is a list of synonyms and related phrases for “put a price on someone’s head”:
- Wanted Dead or Alive: A phrase used to indicate that a person is sought after for capture or death, often seen on wanted posters.
- Bounty on someone’s head: Similar to “put a price on someone’s head,” it refers to the reward offered for capturing or killing a person.
- Mark someone for death: To designate someone as a target for assassination or capture.
- Place a bounty: To offer a monetary reward for the capture or death of someone.
Origin of the Idiom “Put a Price on Someone’s Head”:
The origin of this idiom dates back to historical practices where authorities, particularly in the Wild West, would offer rewards for the capture or death of outlaws and criminals.
The phrase evokes images of wanted posters, which would feature the criminal’s name, picture, and the reward amount for their capture.
This practice aimed to incentivize the public or bounty hunters to assist in capturing dangerous individuals. The concept can be traced back even further to medieval times when kings and rulers would place bounties on the heads of their enemies or traitors.
Examples:
- In a sentence:
- The notorious gang leader knew there was a price on his head, making him constantly wary of bounty hunters.
- During the pirate era, many feared Blackbeard, who had a significant price on his head.
- The detective warned the informant that the mob would put a price on his head if they discovered his betrayal.
- In old western movies, it was common to see wanted posters with a price on someone’s head plastered all over town.
- The rebel leader knew that the government had put a price on his head, but he continued to fight for his cause.
- In a dialogue:
- Person A: Did you hear about the escaped convict?
- Person B: Yes, the authorities have put a price on his head.
- In a story: After the heist, Jack realized there would soon be a price on his head, and he needed to find a way out of the country fast.
This idiom is in the money category.