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
“The innocence of young people must be preserved at all costs,” said Glees.
Britain May Spy on Preschoolers Searching for Potential Jihadis | Nico Hines | January 7, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTThe people who are involved in the violence, they figure out ways to remain here at all costs and continue causing trouble.
Pulling oil from the tar sands is costly, even more so when you tack transportation costs on top.
But with the pipeline, transportation costs drop and production would be higher.
Prevalence depends on context, and sometimes unique advantages outweigh the genetic costs.
Mongooses, Meerkats, and Ants, Oh My! Why Some Animals Keep Mating All in the Family | Helen Thompson | December 29, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
The amount of the taxed costs is one hundred and thirty-three, six, four, Mr. Perker.
The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, v. 2(of 2) | Charles DickensConsequently, such a man would cost your Majesty two-thirds less than the governor costs you.
If he can't handle them we've got a right to put on our own crew and drive them down—and charge back to him what it costs us.
Scattergood Baines | Clarence Budington KellandThe quantity necessary for each horse per day costs about eightpence, and his maize as much more.
Journal of a Voyage to Brazil | Maria GrahamA Natch often costs several thousand rupees, and is one of the most costly items in the expenditure of the rich.
A Woman's Journey Round the World | Ida Pfeiffer
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.
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