The reference of a pound of flesh comes from Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice. It refers to doing (or owing) something that may result in unreasonable actions.

In Merchant of Venice, Shylock insists that Antonio pay-off his debt and for whatever is unpaid, Antonio must give a pound of flesh. In the movie "7 Pounds", Will Smith accidentally takes lives of 7 people, and thinks that he owes "lives". And so by donating 7 lbs of his flesh (lever, kidney, etc.), he pays-out his debt.

Hope this helped.
Source(s):
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/284400.html


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