The Collaborative International Dictionary
Highway robbery \High"way` rob"ber*y\, n.
Robbery committed on the public roads.
An excessively high price or fee; -- used especially in situations where the buyer has little or no choice but to buy the item offered.
Wiktionary
n. 1 (context literally historical English) The act of robbing a traveler on a public road. 2 (context idiomatic English) Said of excessive or exorbitant prices.
WordNet
n. an exorbitant price; "what they are asking for gas these days is highway robbery"
robbery of travellers on or near a public road
Wikipedia
"Highway Robbery" is a song written by Tom Shapiro, Michael Garvin and Bucky Jones, and recorded by American country music artist Tanya Tucker. It was released in December 1988 as the second single from the album Strong Enough to Bend. The song reached #2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.
Highway Robbery is a collaborative studio album from Detroit rapper Guilty Simpson and Philadelphia producer Small Professor, featuring guests Statik Selektah, DJ Revolution, A.G., Boldy James, Elucid, and Castle. It was released digitally under independent hip hop label Coalmine Records and imprint Beat Goliath on September 24, 2013.
Usage examples of "highway robbery".
Why can't we say highway robbery is highway robbery, instead of calling it eminent domain?
They were gonna go over to Betchel's Buck-A-Fish highway robbery, catch a few moron trout, and this guy, his name is Carson, Phil Carson--he's in space electronics or something--well, he was outside beyond the pool, casting with his new rod, trying it out or practicing or something, with one of those big grasshoppers on it, you know?
Before he was twenty, he was wanted for the theft of Aeroflot tickets, vandalism, sale of radio parts to young people whose 'pirate' stations interfered with government transmissions, and old-fashioned highway robbery.
Of the sixteen years he passed in Victoria he spent thirteen in prison, first for stealing, then in steady progression for highway robbery and burglary.
It's highway robbery what the stores charge, and bacon and eggs-Oh!
This villain I just caught up with was wanted for murder and highway robbery up yonder.