pound of flesh

== English == === Etymology === From Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, in which Antonio literally owes a pound of his flesh to the moneylender Shylock. === Pronunciation === === Noun === pound of flesh (plural pounds of flesh) (idiomatic, sensitive) Something which is owed and which will be hurtful or difficult to provide; a debt owed to someone who is merciless and demanding. ==== Usage notes ==== Sensitive due to the antisemitism controversy surrounding the Shylock character, including evocation of the blood libel. === References === “pound of flesh”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.