cost

[ kawst, kost ]

/ kɔst, kɒst /

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noun

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.

verb (used with object), cost or, for 10, cost·ed;cost·ing.

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.

verb (used without object), cost·ed or cost;cost·ing.

to estimate or determine costs, as of manufacturing something.

Verb Phrases past and past participle cost·ed or cost;present participle cost·ing.

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.

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Idioms for 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

First recorded in 1200–50; (verb) Middle English costen, from Anglo-French, Old French co(u)ster, from Latin constāre “to stand together, be settled, cost”; cf. constant; (noun) Middle English, from Anglo-French, Old French, noun derivative of the verb

SYNONYMS FOR cost

1 charge, expense, expenditure, outlay.

3 detriment.

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synonym study for cost

1. See price.

OTHER WORDS FROM cost

costless, adjectivecost·less·ness, nounre·cost, verb (used with object), re·cost, re·cost·ing.

Definition for cost (2 of 2)

cost-

variant of costo- before a vowel: costate.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

British Dictionary definitions for cost

cost

/ (kɒst) /

noun

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; penaltycount the cost to your health; I know to my cost

the amount paid for a commodity by its sellerto 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

verb costs, costing or cost

(tr) to be obtained or obtainable in exchange for (money or something equivalent); be priced atthe 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

Derived forms of cost

costless, adjective

Word Origin for cost

C13: from Old French (n), from coster to cost, from Latin constāre to stand at, cost, from stāre to stand

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

Idioms and Phrases with cost

cost

see arm and a leg, cost an; at all costs; pretty penny, cost a.

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cost

noun

verb (used with object), cost or, for 10, cost·ed;cost·ing.

verb (used without object), cost·ed or cost;cost·ing.

Verb Phrases past and past participle cost·ed or cost;present participle cost·ing.

QUIZZES

WHO SAID IT: A QUIZ ON PRESIDENTIAL WIT AND WISDOM

Idioms for cost

Origin of cost

SYNONYMS FOR cost

synonym study for cost

OTHER WORDS FROM cost

Definition for cost (2 of 2)

British Dictionary definitions for cost

noun

verb costs, costing or cost

Derived forms of cost

Word Origin for cost

Idioms and Phrases with cost

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

cost

noun

verb (used with object), cost or, for 10, cost·ed;cost·ing.

verb (used without object), cost·ed or cost;cost·ing.

Verb Phrases past and past participle cost·ed or cost;present participle cost·ing.

QUIZZES

WHO SAID IT: A QUIZ ON PRESIDENTIAL WIT AND WISDOM

Idioms for cost

Origin of cost

SYNONYMS FOR cost

synonym study for cost

OTHER WORDS FROM cost

Definition for cost (2 of 2)

Words related to cost

British Dictionary definitions for cost

noun

verb costs, costing or cost

Derived forms of cost

Word Origin for cost

Idioms and Phrases with cost