Meaning of Make a Killing
To make a killing means to large profit, especially in a short time with little effort; have great financial success; to quickly earn a great sum of money. 1Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.,2Ayto, John. [http://amzn.to/2vdGvI7 Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms]. Oxford: Oxford U, 2010.,3Heacock, Paul. Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms]. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2010.
Usage Notes
The idiom ‘make a killing’ is often used in regard to financial success in the stock market.
Sentence Examples
“He made a killing on the stock exchange by the time he was 26 and hasn’t really worked since.”
“You can make a killing in real estate if you play your cards right.”
“He figured he would go to Las Vegas, making a killing playing cards, and pay off his loans. Instead, he lost what little money he had.”
“Saw a motion picture once where young women not unlike yourself made a killing washing cars.” —Wynonna Earp: No Cure for Crazy (2018)
“Bill Davenport made a killing with discount airlines back in the ’80s.” — Law & Order: Criminal Intent: Tomorrow (2002)
“I have a cousin that got in early on riverboat casinos, made a killing. So when he told me he was gonna do a second round, I put a little of my own money in.” — The Good Wife: Hearing (2016)
Origin
Alluding to the success of a hunter in killing an animal, this idiom has been used since the late 1800s.
