cost
the price paid to acquire, produce, accomplish, or maintain anything: the high cost of a good meal.
an outlay or expenditure of money, time, labor, trouble, etc.: What will the cost be to me?
a sacrifice, loss, or penalty: to work at the cost of one's health.
costs, Law.
money allowed to a successful party in a lawsuit in compensation for legal expenses incurred, chargeable to the unsuccessful party.
money due to a court or one of its officers for services in a cause.
to require the payment of (money or something else of value) in an exchange: That camera cost $200.
to result in or entail the loss of: Carelessness costs lives.
to cause to lose or suffer: The accident cost her a broken leg.
to entail (effort or inconvenience): Courtesy costs little.
to cause to pay or sacrifice: That request will cost us two weeks' extra work.
to estimate or determine the cost of (manufactured articles, new processes, etc.): We have costed the manufacture of each item.
to estimate or determine costs, as of manufacturing something.
cost out, to calculate the cost of (a project, product, etc.) in advance: The firm that hired him just costed out a major construction project last month.
Idioms about cost
at all costs, regardless of the effort involved; by any means necessary: The stolen painting must be recovered at all costs.: Also at any cost.
Origin of cost
1synonym study For cost
Other words for cost
Other words from cost
- costless, adjective
- cost·less·ness, noun
- re·cost, verb (used with object), re·cost, re·cost·ing.
Other definitions for cost- (2 of 2)
variant of costo- before a vowel: costate.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use cost in a sentence
Using standard methods, the cost of printing DNA could run upwards of a billion dollars or more, depending on the strand.
“The sensation these objects presented receded as their cost increased,” notes Rabinowitz.
Like him, they identified the Airbus A320 as an airplane extremely well fitted to low cost airline operations in Asia.
Annoying Airport Delays Might Prevent You From Becoming the Next AirAsia 8501 | Clive Irving | January 6, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTMalaysian-based entrepreneur Tony Fernandes has turned AirAsia into the most successful low cost airline in southeast Asia.
Annoying Airport Delays Might Prevent You From Becoming the Next AirAsia 8501 | Clive Irving | January 6, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTBut the F-35 has been plagued with massive delays and cost overruns—mostly due to design defects and software issues.
New U.S. Stealth Jet Can’t Fire Its Gun Until 2019 | Dave Majumdar | December 31, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Mrs. Wurzel was quite right; they had been supplied, regardless of cost, from Messrs. Rochet and Stole's well-known establishment.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3) | Charles James WillsThey feel that the system has few advantages to offer in return for the cost it entails upon them.
Readings in Money and Banking | Chester Arthur PhillipsHe became a doctor in two hours, and it only cost him twenty dollars to complete his education.
The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun; | VariousThe estimated cost of the alterations is put at £16,000 including fittings.
Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham | Thomas T. Harman and Walter ShowellA clock was put above the spot where the fountain stood, in April, 1852, which cost £60.
Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham | Thomas T. Harman and Walter Showell
British Dictionary definitions for cost
/ (kɒst) /
the price paid or required for acquiring, producing, or maintaining something, usually measured in money, time, or energy; expense or expenditure; outlay
suffering or sacrifice; loss; penalty: count the cost to your health; I know to my cost
the amount paid for a commodity by its seller: to sell at cost
(as modifier): the cost price
(plural) law the expenses of judicial proceedings
at any cost or at all costs regardless of cost or sacrifice involved
at the cost of at the expense of losing
(tr) to be obtained or obtainable in exchange for (money or something equivalent); be priced at: the ride cost one pound
to cause or require the expenditure, loss, or sacrifice (of): the accident cost him dearly
to estimate the cost of (a product, process, etc) for the purposes of pricing, budgeting, control, etc
Origin of cost
1Derived forms of cost
- costless, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with cost
see arm and a leg, cost an; at all costs; pretty penny, cost a.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
Browse