English

Prepositional phrase

at a premium

1. (finance) Above par value.
2. At a high, or higher than expected, price.
3. Scarce, in short supply.

   Disk space on that server is at a premium.

   • 2014 November 14, Stephen Halliday, “Scotland 1-0 Republic of Ireland: Maloney the hero”, in The Scotsman:

     Flair and invention were very much at a premium, suffocated by the relentless pace and often fractious nature of proceedings. The absence of James Morrison from the centre of Scotland’s midfield, the West Brom man ruled out on the morning of the game by illness, had already diminished the creative capacity of the home side in that department.

   • 2011 January 16, Saj Chowdhury, “Sunderland 1 - 1 Newcastle”, in BBC:

     Both Ameobi and Sunderland forward Darren Bent had gone close in the early exchanges but chances were at a premium thereafter.