robbery committed on a highway against travelers, as by a highwayman.
2.
Informal. a price or fee that is unreasonably high; exorbitant charge.
Origin
1770-80
Related forms
highway robber, noun
Examples from the web for highway robbery
There have been reports of highway robbery, including carjacking, by armed bandits outside urban areas.
Military tribunals also have jurisdiction over gang crimes, banditry, and highway robbery.
Purely the customer feels it is highway robbery to absorb such horrendous price increases for the same service.
It's time to end the highway robbery due to the lack of compliance to determine the true safety value of the posted limit.
What has happened is deception, lies, half-truths and highway robbery.
British Dictionary definitions for highway robbery
highway robbery
noun
1.
(informal) blatant overcharging
Slang definitions & phrases for highway robbery
highway robbery
noun phrase
An unconscionable price asked by a merchant: Highway robbery is no name for it/ 100 bucks? That's highway robbery!(1886+)
Idioms and Phrases with highway robbery
highway robbery
The exaction of an exorbitantly high price or fee. For example, You paid ten dollars for that meat? That's highway robbery. This term, used figuratively since the late 1800s, alludes to literal robbery of travelers on or near a public road.