THE IDIOM COLLECTION LEARN & PRACTISE
For a song
Understand the meaning. See it in context. Make it yours.
01 / UNDERSTAND
Meaning in plain English
For a very low price.
02 / SEE IT IN CONTEXT
The expression in a sentence
- We bought the second-hand shelves for a song.
03 / CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING
Quick idiom quiz
Try the question without looking back, then write a sentence of your own. You can retry as often as you like.
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Can you recall the expression?
Complete the example using the expression from this lesson.
We bought the second-hand shelves ________.
Show the answer
For a song — For a very low price.
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Make it yours
Write one sentence using “For a song” about your own life.
Check your sentence
Does your sentence match this meaning?
For a very low price.
Compare: We bought the second-hand shelves for a song.
Check the spelling and how the expression fits the sentence. Your example can be different.
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More ways to understand and use it
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When to use it
Use it informally when describing a bargain or something sold much more cheaply than expected.
More examples in context
- The old desk went for a song at the village sale.
- She found a nearly new coat for a song in the charity shop.
Usage note
You can buy, sell or get something for a song. It means cheaply, not necessarily free, and nobody has to perform music.
A short conversation
A: Those chairs look expensive.
B: They were not. We got them for a song at a clearance sale.
A: That was a fortunate find.
One more practice question
What does “She bought the table for a song” mean?
A. She had to sing in exchange for it.
B. She paid very little for it.
Check your answer
B. The idiom describes a very low purchase price.
Related lessons
Meaning and usage checked against Cambridge Dictionary. Explanations, examples and conversation are original.