The phrase “daylight robbery” means that someone is cheating or taking someone’s money or property in a very blatant and audacious manner. It depicts shock and fury as if it was committed boldly without the fear of being apprehended. With the passage of time, this phrase has evolved to include any form of injustice or more broadly act of taking from someone.
Meaning of “Daylight Robbery”
The term “daylight robbery” refers to a situation where one is cheated or overcharged in a very blatant manner that it seems as if a robbery is being committed during the day. The expression is often used when emphasizing the boldness or impunity of the act, indicating that the offender is not even trying to cover up the crime.
For example, if a company sells a product or service at an extremely high price, a customer may say, “That’s daylight robbery!” This expression means that the customer felt like he or she has been cheated and cannot believe the company’s audacity.
The term “daylight robbery” was initially used to describe clear theft but as time passed by, it has come to mean any situation that a person feels they have been a victim of fraud, overcharge or injustice. The phrase is mostly common with financial transactions but can be used in any case of perceived unfair treatment.
Origin of “Daylight Robbery”
The term “daylight robbery” was developed in the 17th century but not in the manner that most people expects. Interestingly, it does not relate to the real events that occurred in the daytime robberies.
The term’s origin is attributed to the Window Tax which was established in England during the rule of King William III in the year 1696. This tax was structured in a way that it depended on the number of windows in a house and the reason rendered was that the more windows there are then the larger the house and therefore the higher its value.
Consequently, a number of homeowners closed up their windows in order to avoid paying the tax, thus stealing their daylight in the process. This led to the emergence of a new saying which is “daylight robbery”, meaning the government stealing light from people.
Eventually, the term “daylight robbery” changed its meaning. By the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, the term evolved and began to be used for any case when a person was being charged exorbitantly or cheated.
The first documented evidence for the use of the term in this way is from around 1949. Today, it is employed to show anger at prices; this is where it has retained its sense of audacity or shamelessness of overcharging or cheating.
Use of “Daylight Robbery” in Literature
The term “daylight robbery” has been used in literature to express themes of exploitation, injustice and boldness.
This phrase has been applied to portray characters, situations or systems that are involved in blatant or audacious acts of theft, either literal or the metaphorical. Following are examples of the usage of the phrase “daylight robbery” in literature and the role it plays in each context.
Example#1
“White Teeth” by Zadie Smith
“Charging thirty quid for a five-minute consultation, it’s daylight robbery, but what can you do when you’re sick?”
In “White Teeth”, the writer uses the term “daylight robbery” to convey the high cost of a medical visit, which is regarded as unreasonable.
The character complains about the price and compares it to a scam, which is rather shameless, considering the fact that people are often in desperate need of medical help.
The phrase “daylight robbery” emphasizes the unfairness of the situation, as if the fee is exorbitant like robbery in the daylight with no regard for the morality of the act.
Example#2
“The Girl with the Louding Voice” by Abi Daré
“They charge us so much for just a small bag of rice. It’s daylight robbery! But what choice do we have when we’re hungry?”
In the novel, Abi Daré employs the term “daylight robbery” to describe the experience of exploitation as a result of the high price of food items.
The phrase shows the anger of the speaker at the price discrimination especially when it comes to the basic needs.
Here, ‘daylight robbery’ alludes to the fact that the sellers are taking advantage of the people’s needs and overcharging them with no regard to the ethics of their actions like a thief in broad daylight.
Example#3
“Bridget Jones’s Diary” by Helen Fielding
“Eighty quid for a pair of shoes? That’s daylight robbery! But they were Prada, so I suppose it’s justifiable… barely.”
In “Bridget Jones’s Diary”, the author uses the term to describe Bridget’s reaction to the relatively high cost of expensive shoes.
The phrase gives us an idea of the level of annoyance that Bridget was feeling towards the audacity of the price, which to her seems like a form of exploitation.
Although she understands that (Prada) is a well-known brand, she believes that the price is still too high, even though she agrees with it reluctantly. The expression “daylight robbery” has been used to depict the emotion of the character who feels exploited in a normal shopping scenario.
Example#4
“The Goldfinch” by Donna Tartt
“I couldn’t believe the gallery charged fifty dollars just to see the exhibit. It was broad daylight robbery, taking advantage of people’s love for art.”
The author uses the phrase “daylight robbery” in relation to the admission Fee’s charged at the art gallery. The character feels that the gallery is taking advantage of the people’s love for art by charging outrageously high price, that is equivalent to theft in broad daylight.
The phrase “broad daylight robbery” brings about the element of disbelief, heightening the sense of anger, which a character feels when forced to spend a lot for something dear to them.
See also: Dead Cat Bounce
Use of “Daylight Robbery” in Modern Contexts
The phrase ‘daylight robbery’ is still in use today. It is often used to describe situations of being overcharged, taken advantage of or cheating. The phrase is also used in journalism, advertising, and even in day to day language.
In Journalism and Media
In journalism and media, “daylight robbery” is often used to refer to the price hikes, corporate selfishness, and government corruption. For example, a headline might be: “Consumers Outraged by Daylight Robbery as Gas Prices Soar”, which conveys consumer frustration with the high prices set by oil companies.
The phrase is also used in investigative journalism to reveal misconduct or undue influence. For instance, an article may refer to a certain company’s price manipulation as “daylight robbery” to urge agencies that regulate the market to act and protect consumers.
In Advertising and Marketing
In advertising and marketing the term ‘daylight robbery’ has been used to put pressure on purchasers and to compare a given company’s charges with those of other rivals in the same market.
For example, an advertisement for a discount store might say, “Why Pay More? Don’t Get Burned by Daylight Robbery Prices, Shop with Us!” Here, the use of the phrase plays on consumers’ reluctance to overpay and suggests that the product or service being advertised is cheaper than others on the market.
In Everyday Conversation
In the everyday language, the phrase “daylight robbery” is used when one feels cheating or is unhappy with the price he/she pays for a product or service.
For example, a person may use the following sentence: “The price that they are charging for that concert ticket is nothing short of daylight robbery!” to express his or her shock at the cost.
The phrase also refers to any circumstance in which one party feels that they have been exploited in some way, for example when one is overcharged for a product or service or when one is made a victim of some form of injustice at the workplace.
In these contexts, the phrase “daylight robbery” is an excellent example of a powerful phrase to convey anger and to demand justice.
In Social Media and Pop Culture
The term “daylight robbery” has also become popular on social media and other platforms, where people share memes, tweets, and other content to express their opinions on pricing and unfairness. Its application in these scenarios shows that it is still a valuable tool to voice dissent and support amid perceived oppression.
For example, a tweet complaining about the expensive houses in a specific city may include the hashtag #DaylightRobbery to address the issue and to encourage others to comment on it. Likewise, a meme that is comparing the prices of various products or services may incorporate the phrase in order to point at some outrageous prices.
See also: Darby and Joan
