Highway Robbery

Pronunciation: /ˈhaɪweɪ ˈrɑbəri/

Definitions of highway robbery

noun the act of stealing from someone on a public road or highway

Example Sentences

A1 Highway robbery is when thieves steal from travelers on the road.

A2 In some parts of the world, highway robbery is still a common occurrence.

B1 The government has implemented measures to reduce instances of highway robbery along major highways.

B2 The gang of bandits was known for their daring acts of highway robbery, targeting wealthy merchants.

C1 The elaborate plan for the highway robbery involved blocking the road with fake roadblocks and diversion tactics.

C2 The investigation into the highway robbery revealed a sophisticated network of criminals operating across multiple states.

Examples of highway robbery in a Sentence

formal The government has implemented strict measures to combat highway robbery in the region.

informal I can't believe how expensive that meal was, it's like highway robbery!

slang Paying that much for a concert ticket is just straight up highway robbery.

figurative The prices at that store are so inflated, it feels like highway robbery every time I shop there.

Grammatical Forms of highway robbery

• past tense: committed highway robbery
• plural: highway robberies
• comparative: more like highway robbery
• superlative: most like highway robbery
• present tense: commit highway robbery
• future tense: will commit highway robbery
• perfect tense: have committed highway robbery
• continuous tense: is committing highway robbery
• singular: highway robbery
• positive degree: highway robbery
• infinitive: to commit highway robbery
• gerund: committing highway robbery
• participle: committed highway robbery

Origin and Evolution of highway robbery

First Known Use: 1601 year

Language of Origin: English

Story behind the word: The term 'highway robbery' originated in England during the Middle Ages when travelers on the public roads, or highways, were often robbed by bandits.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the term 'highway robbery' has come to be used metaphorically to describe any situation where someone is charged an exorbitant or unfair price for something, likening it to being robbed on the highway.