expenseex‧pense /ɪkˈspens/ ●●○ noun 
He borrowed £150,000 and used the money for legal expenses. Conference rooms were equipped at great expense.2expenses money that you spend on things such as travel and food while you are doing your job, and which your employer then pays to youon expenses Can you claim this meal on expenses?3at the expense of somebody/something if something is done at the expense of someone or something else, it is only achieved by doing something that could harm the other person or thing: the growth in short breaks, at the expense of longer package holidays4at somebody’s expense a)if you do something at someone’s expense, they pay for you to do it: Her mansion was refurnished at taxpayers’ expense. b)if you make jokes at someone’s expense, you laugh about them and make them seem stupid or silly: Louis kept making jokes at his wife’s expense.5all expenses paid having all of your costs for hotels, travel, meals etc paid for by someone else: The prize is an all-expenses-paid trip to Rio.COLLOCATIONS– Meaning 1ADJECTIVES/NOUN + expensethe extra/additional expense· Is it worth the extra expense to get a room with a sea view?an unnecessary expense· Paying extra for leather seats seemed like an unnecessary expense.living expenses (=money that you spend on rent, food, and things such as electricity, gas etc)· She receives £80 a week, from which she must pay for all her living expenses.operating expenses (=money that a company spends on running its business)· We must reduce our operating expenses.legal/medical expenses· We had to get a loan to pay for my husband’s medical expenses.· The tenant can incur considerable legal expenses.household expenses (=money spent looking after a house and the people in it)· Unfortunately, household expenses don’t go away just because you’re in hospital or out of work.funeral expenses (=the cost of arranging a funeral)· She had a small insurance policy to cover the funeral expenses.phrasesat great/huge/considerable/vast expense (=used when saying that something costs a lot of money)· The tiles were imported at great expense from Italy.· Recently, and at vast expense to the taxpayer, the bridge was rebuilt.at your own expense (=used when saying that you pay for something yourself)· He had copies of the book printed at his own expense.at (the) public expense (=paid for by the public through taxes)· The bridge was built at public expense.go to the expense of doing something (=do something that costs a lot of money)· The council must now decide whether to go to the expense of appealing through the courts.spare no expense (in doing something) (=spend a lot of money to buy the best things)· Her parents spared no expense in arranging the wedding.· Everything has been provided tonight – no expense has been spared!verbsincur an expense formal (=have to pay for something)· Potential buyers incur the expense of a survey and legal fees.COLLOCATIONS– Meaning 2NOUN + expensestravel/travelling expenses· The company will pay the travelling expenses involved in getting to and from the meeting.entertainment/business expenses· The president receives an unspecified allowance for business and entertainment expenses.relocation/moving expenses· Successful candidates will receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes relocation expenses if needed.verbspay somebody’s expenses· They agreed to pay my travel expenses and initial accommodation costs.claim expenses (=officially ask your employer to pay you back money that you have spent while doing your job)· If you have to stay overnight, you will be able to claim any expenses back.reimburse somebody’s expenses (=pay the money someone has spent for business purposes back to them)· Your expenses will usually be reimbursed within one month of receiving the claim.
EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
- As a practical matter, a receipt showing the amount of the expense is an absolute prerequisite to substantiating a travel expense.
- Gast decided to stick around at his own expense and film as much as he could with the fighters.
- I was educated at his expense and until I repay his investment, it is illegal to employ me directly.
- Or we could leave it up to the electricity generators to reduce the impact, at the expense of higher bills.
- The fateful words do not establish a trust in favour of him, but instead a trust at his expense in favour of another person.
- The problem is one of expense and effort in doing so, not the availability of the material.
- Thus the legal aid scheme permits those eligible to take the risk of litigation at the possible expense of the Fund.
Longman Language Activatorto harm a person, group, country etc
to have a bad effect on something, in a way that makes it weaker, less effective, or less successful: · Walking out without giving any notice will only harm your career.· Any scandal will certainly harm the company's reputation.· These new export restrictions are sure to harm the economy.· The most important consideration is that the environment is not harmed.
to permanently harm something such as the success, health, or image of a person, organization etc so that they are not as effective as before: · Several recent events have damaged the government's public image.· This is likely to damage Scott's reputation even more.seriously/badly damage something: · Smoking can seriously damage your health.· The company's future prospects will be badly damaged if this deal falls through.
to change or effect something in a harmful way: · Drinking so much is bound to have a bad effect on your health.· An increase in interest rates at the present time would definitely be bad for business.
to have a sudden bad effect on someone or something, harming them badly: · A sudden rise in inflation always hits living standards.be badly hit: · Southern England has been badly hit by flooding, and many homes are now without power.hit something/somebody hard: · Elderly people were the hardest hit by the increase in tax on fuel.
to have a bad effect on an organization or activity, by making it less successful or effective: · Most companies have been hurt by the economic slowdown.· This is mainly going to hurt those who already have least.
to harm the plans, chances, confidence etc of a person or organization: · It would be stupid to pretend this was anything but a blow to the prime minister.be a big/serious/severe etc blow: · The incident was a severe blow to UN peace efforts.· Losing the match against Rumania, dealt a huge blow to the team.
to harm something such as an ability or the way a body or system works - use this especially in medical or technical contexts: · If a witness is allowed to withhold evidence, it impairs the legal process.· Alcohol significantly impairs your ability to drive a car or operate machinery.
formal to be likely to harm something: · Working in front of a computer all day may be detrimental to your eyesight.· Any further housing development will be detrimental to the character of this small town.
if you do something at the expense of someone or something else, you do it in order to gain an advantage, even if it harms them or has a bad effect on them: · Cigarette manufacturers continue to pursue profit at the expense of our children.· Many people are now working a fifty or sixty hour week, at the expense of their family life.
to seriously harm something by causing a lot of harm and confusion: · A major computer failure wrought havoc on the New York Subway last night.wreak havoc/play havoc with: · Working so late is starting to play havoc with her social life.
to spend a lot of money · You don't have to spend a lot to be fashionable -- you just need a sense of style.spend a lot on · They must have spent a lot on their new kitchen. It's made of solid oakspend a lot of money · In recent years the company has spent a lot of money on new technology.
to spend very large amounts of money on something important, even if it costs you more than you can afford: · The wedding was wonderful. Your parents obviously went to great expense.go to great expense to do something: · Please let us have your comments on the plans for the new offices -- we're going to great expense to get everything just right.
to spend as much money as is necessary to get what you want or make something successful, without worrying about the cost: · The organizers were told to spare no expense - this was going to be the biggest show on Earth.no expense spared: · "Go out and buy whatever you want," he said, "no expense spared!"
spoken informal to have to spend more money on something than you think is fair or reasonable: · No, we can't afford to go to the bowling alley - I've forked out enough already today.shell out #50/$100 etc: · Insurance companies are having to shell out millions of pounds to the victims of the floods.shell out/fork out on: · I'm not shelling out any more money on this old car. It's not worth it!shell out/fork out for: · I failed my driving test and Dad said that he wasn't forking out for any more lessons for me.
informal to spend a lot of money and buy a lot of things in a short time for enjoyment, especially when other people think this is stupid or a waste of money: · Jilly and I decided to cheer ourselves up and go on a spending spree.· You haven't been on another spending spree, have you? What did you buy this time?
use this to say that you do not care how much money you spend on something even if it is a lot: · Simon always ordered the best. It was obvious that money was no object.money no object: · Choose whatever outfit you want - money no object!
to enjoy yourself by going out often and spending a lot of money, especially with rich or important people: · For several years they lived the high life with Hollywood stars and celebrities.· You've been living the high life recently, haven't you! You're always going out to clubs and fancy restaurants.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY Meaning 1ADJECTIVES/NOUN + expense If the council loses the appeal, it will incur all the legal costs. the heavy losses incurred by airlines since September 11th
· Is it worth the extra expense to get a room with a sea view?
· Paying extra for leather seats seemed like an unnecessary expense.
(=money that you spend on rent, food, and things such as electricity, gas etc)· She receives £80 a week, from which she must pay for all her living expenses.
(=money that a company spends on running its business)· We must reduce our operating expenses.
· We had to get a loan to pay for my husband’s medical expenses.· The tenant can incur considerable legal expenses.
(=money spent looking after a house and the people in it)· Unfortunately, household expenses don’t go away just because you’re in hospital or out of work.
(=the cost of arranging a funeral)· She had a small insurance policy to cover the funeral expenses.
phrases (=used when saying that something costs a lot of money)· The tiles were imported at great expense from Italy.· Recently, and at vast expense to the taxpayer, the bridge was rebuilt.
(=used when saying that you pay for something yourself)· He had copies of the book printed at his own expense.
(=paid for by the public through taxes)· The bridge was built at public expense.
(=do something that costs a lot of money)· The council must now decide whether to go to the expense of appealing through the courts.
(=spend a lot of money to buy the best things)· Her parents spared no expense in arranging the wedding.· Everything has been provided tonight – no expense has been spared!
verbs formal (=have to pay for something)· Potential buyers incur the expense of a survey and legal fees.
Meaning 2NOUN + expenses· The company will pay the travelling expenses involved in getting to and from the meeting.
· The president receives an unspecified allowance for business and entertainment expenses.
· Successful candidates will receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes relocation expenses if needed.
verbs· They agreed to pay my travel expenses and initial accommodation costs.
(=officially ask your employer to pay you back money that you have spent while doing your job)· If you have to stay overnight, you will be able to claim any expenses back.
(=pay the money someone has spent for business purposes back to them)· Your expenses will usually be reimbursed within one month of receiving the claim.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES If the council loses the appeal, it will incur all the legal costs. the heavy losses incurred by airlines since September 11th· They offered to pay my travel expenses.
· He thinks advertising is an unnecessary expense.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE· It never breaks down, doesn't need a battery, and there is no additional expense once you own it.· Equipment could be located at any of the existing restaurants without serious dislocation or additional expense.· There are a number of other possibilities, if you are willing to incur the additional expense.· I do not complain about that so far as he is concerned because no doubt it would be an additional and unnecessary expense for him.· Certainly he incurs no additional cost or expense.
· A solution custom-built, as considerable expense, promptly out-dated by technology.· The Peace Corps goes to considerable expense to provide training programs involving the best qualified lecturers available.· When it is demolished it is lost for good and can only be duplicated at considerable expense.· Even new-media producers concede there is considerable expense and technical expertise needed to surf the Internet.· Yet, the practitioner manages to deal with the problem albeit at considerable expense.· The training plan Considerable effort and expense were employed in providing information and training to help boards get established.· The polytechnic was busily being renamed, and at considerable expense, when the new name was suddenly dropped.· On the Maidenhead side, it would mean considerable expense and demolition of properties - it would be much more expensive.
· It can't even be given away, so it ends up being stored at enormous expense on even more land.· Before the conversion of Granby House, it was not clear how this could be done without incurring enormous expense.
· The first way is best but involves the extra expense of a gearbox.· The extra expense would amount to $ 112, 320 a year in added fuel costs.· It is certainly worth the extra expense of paying their fees and hotel costs.· That means many gourmet coffee shops more than covered the extra expense with their retail price increases.· The hydroelectric scheme may involve the potash industry in an extra expense.· Mauve proposed his name for membership of the Pulchri Art Club, where Vincent could draw the models available without extra expense.· Abbey National has woken up to the extra expense that a remortgage brings and is offering £200 towards legal fees on completion.· And his small capital was draining away with the extra expense of Amy, Timmy and even the cats.
· And often at great expense to ourselves.· If so, it would have to be removed professionally at great expense.· Too much of it, however, is thoughtlessly neglected or replaced, often at great expense.· It took nearly 18 years, thousands of hours and great expense for authorities to arrest a suspect in the Unabomber case.· The idea is to set to work without great expense and elaborate machinery, or under primitive conditions.· I immediately had copies made at great expense because it was typewritten on onionskin paper in the 1940s.· Were the qualities found in a producer so rare that they could be purchased only at great expense?· For knowledge comes slowly, and when it comes, it is often at great personal expense.
· Even fee-paying pupils could, if parental circumstances entitled them, receive full or partial remission of fees at the public expense.· The federal government obligingly constructed logging roads into the wildernesses at public expense to accommodate the trucks and men and machinery.· For years governments have let scientists pursue the defenceless boson at public expense.· The specter that has haunted the economist has been the monopoly seeking extortionate gains at the public expense.· Such issues should, as currently occurs in most tax cases, always be litigated at the public expense.· In fact, without the system that allowed presidents to amass a personal fortune at public expense, they may need to.
· Poor people can stand being poor but not if some one else is getting rich at their expense.· The banding system and property valuations are devised deliberately to protect the rich at the expense of the rest.· It will be reluctant to propose a law to make banks £500m richer at the expense of local taxpayers.· Although inequality has increased, the economic gains have not generally been by the rich at the expense of the poor.· Why go further, especially if it will benefit only the rich at the expense of everyone else?
· Parking where you have done seems a rather unnecessary expense, doesn't it?· In such cases, the X-ray leads to unnecessary discomfort, expense and emotional distress.· I do not complain about that so far as he is concerned because no doubt it would be an additional and unnecessary expense for him.· We feel that this is a very unnecessary expense and would be very time consuming for us to calculate.· Misunderstanding and confusion are rife sometimes causing unnecessary damage or expense, personal injury or even death.· But objectors say the loo is an unnecessary expense.· Most men consider them an unnecessary expense, if they consider them at all; contraception is a women's issue.· This can save time, worry and unnecessary expense for your family.
· Unfortunately some solutions rely on structural changes for effect, but these don't always have to involve vast expense.· East Berlin is being rebuilt and restored at vast expense as a full-scale capital and show-window.· The vast expense of the prison system has led to the development of various non-custodial alternatives.· The Royals seem to use the royal yacht purely for privileged leisure cruising - at our vast expense.
NOUN· The benefits considered least important were the amount of holiday and an expense account.· See if you can put it on an expense account.· So they can come with time off work and probably on an expense account, even to a far-flung location.· Things have also changed for the employee who receives an expense account.· They will hit the top earner, the energy-guzzler, the expense account holder, harder than anyone.· You gain a whole new sense of financial responsibility the moment you leave the corporate expense account behind.
· This can therefore be treated as a withdrawal rather than a business expense.· If adjusted gross income is high enough, large amounts of business expense deductions will be lost under this 2 percent formula.· Charging an expense on a company credit card does not automatically make it a bona fide business expense.
· This total is then divided by interest expense to obtain the times interest earned ratio.· Next comes the interest expense account.· Finally, interest expense on the long-term bank loan is payable quarterly at the rate of 12 percent per year.· The company stands to save at least $ 13 million a year in interest expense by replacing higher-cost debt.· Lease payments are treated partially as interest expense and partly as amortization of the capital-lease liability.· Employee expenses declined to 50. 2 percent of revenue after interest expense from 52. 3 percent a year ago.
VERB· Of course our cost reductions are not being achieved at the expense of quality in our building standards.· It was equally important to outshine everyone else around me - in other words, to achieve at the expense of others.· All this had been achieved at the expense of the Liberal Party which had monopolized all three areas before 1910.· In 1966 Denis Healey.: Military strength is of little value if it is achieved at the expense of economic health.· All the great middle-class moral reforms of the age had been achieved at the expense of pleasure and enjoyment.· A major new endowment for Gloucester could only be achieved at the expense of existing interests, and this was politically unacceptable.· For example, helping one client obtain a council tenancy may be achieved at the expense of others on the list.· These positive aspects of the Michigan law may, however, have been achieved at the expense of simplicity.
· It is very important that the condition be recognised soas to avoid the expense and trouble of investigations and multiple consultant referrals.· Whenever they can avoid the expense and trouble of employing a person by investing in another robot they do so.· Of course, Vincent explained to Theo, he could avoid the expense of models and use his imagination.· They avoid the expense of large cabinets and wind and vibration problems are completely eliminated.
· Slaves and their owners have obvious conflicts of interest, as one gains at the expense of the other.· The specter that has haunted the economist has been the monopoly seeking extortionate gains at the public expense.· As in the Reich, it seems that they had gained votes at the expense of the middle-class Centre Party.· Logical coherence has been gained at the expense of empirical relevance.· This creates a fundamental conflict of interest between social groups since one gains at the expense of another.· We are made to share his view, and with it his plans and hopes to gain at the expense of good.
· There are a number of other possibilities, if you are willing to incur the additional expense.· Before the conversion of Granby House, it was not clear how this could be done without incurring enormous expense.· Provided that it is reasonable to incur the particular expense, however, it is immaterial that the expense may be very large.· If you are in any doubt about your entitlement then you should consult your line manager before you incur any expense.· She was deemed to have incurred the expense of the journey and was charged interest on her travel costs.
· But the results justify the expense.· I don't see how we could justify the expense of it.· It is doubtful, though, that clarity of signal alone would justify the expense of making the mobile-phone network digital.
· Another good feature was the sponsored breakfasts each morning at 7am: they saved delegates expense and guaranteed a good turn out.· It was too big for her to look after alone, and it would save him the expense of renting a flat.· Only those who really want it would buy it, saving you expense.· A few parents are having their children circumcised in hospital to save some time and expense.· He turned well, however, and dived to save at the expense of a corner.· That will save money and expense, but the question is, will it guarantee anything for the pensioners themselves?
· Mrs Grindlewood-Gryke had spared no expense to feed the multitude.· Slopeside lodgings cost more, but often you are spared the expense of renting a car.· He is totally dedicated to his calling, his art, and spares no expense to fulfil it.· They spared no expense when the New York Public Library was built at the turn of the century.· Officials can be spared their jet lag, and the taxpayer can be spared the expense of shuttling them around the world.· We spared no expense in preparing ourselves for a long strike and the decertification of the unions.· Branson spared no expense in getting Event off the ground.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► expenses► all expenses paidPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► buy something at the cost/expense/price of something► money/expense is no object
- He did not want to devote more time to his business at the expense of his family
- The cars were produced quickly, at the expense of safety.
- All is filtered through Hoving's glass, which magnifies himself at the expense of his colleagues.
- Similarly, countries may make use of automation to improve their international competitiveness, sometimes at the expense of other countries.
- So there is little chance that the 1993 programme will go for short-term audience gain at the expense of long-term credibility.
- Such values work at the expense of a positive evaluation of females.
- The client may win in court, but at the expense of destroying the business relationship, he says.
- The two companies said their marriage will come at the expense of 2, 000 jobs.
- These are not just the shifting form of the economy and the rise of financial capital at the expense of productive capital.
- You will now release me: the resulting implication being that I bought my freedom at the expense of his.
- Louis kept making jokes at his wife's expense.
- Several state senators traveled to Asia at taxpayers' expense.
- At the outset of our friendship it was always Brian who exploded and damn the consequences.
- Spurrier says whatever is on his always-racing mind, even in victory and figures damn the consequences.
- And they allow boat owners the chance to defray costs by chartering out their vessels through the club.
- Donations are welcome to defray expenses.
- The price of the ticket has been kept low and it is necessary to run raffles to defray expenses.
- Most of my paycheck just goes to living expenses.
- At present the county council pays his tuition fees and we pay his living expenses, which we can continue.
- But that money's for his work ... not for living expenses.
- Couples who register pledge to be jointly responsible for their basic living expenses.
- It gave us medical coverage and helped cover our living expenses.
- So after living expenses and charity there's not a lot left over.
- Then there is an estimate of how much was required or expended for his own personal and living expenses.
- They borrowed more money for living expenses, then the second mortgage of £16,000 from a company call Dorend.
- Barnardo's had to draw £1.7 million from its reserves to meet costs.
- Branson spared no expense in getting Event off the ground.
- He is totally dedicated to his calling, his art, and spares no expense to fulfil it.
- It attracted more retail savings than even the government, which spares no effort to tap the market.
- Mrs Grindlewood-Gryke had spared no expense to feed the multitude.
- She was often ill, and Hubert spared no effort to make her well again.
- They spared no expense when the New York Public Library was built at the turn of the century.
- We spared no expense in preparing ourselves for a long strike and the decertification of the unions.
- A training allowance and travelling expenses for the 16 weeks of the programme.
- His astronomical travelling expenses all but bankrupted the club, and his non-appearance at over half the games sapped team morale.
- It was held that he was not entitled to claim his travelling expenses from the advertiser.
- She was awarded £60 travelling expenses by the court.
- The clergy's travelling expenses are chargeable as extras.
- The company also paid travelling expenses for all employees following the move of their department for a six-month period.
- The full amount of excess travelling expenses can be reclaimed.
- The prize includes up to £500 travelling expenses for you and your party.
WORD FAMILYnounexpenditureexpenseexpensesadjectiveexpensive ≠ inexpensiveverbexpendadverbexpensively ≠ inexpensively
1[countable, uncountable] the amount of money that you spend on something: He borrowed £150,000 and used the money for legal expenses. Conference rooms were equipped at great expense.2expenses money that you spend on things such as travel and food while you are doing your job, and which your employer then pays to youon expenses Can you claim this meal on expenses?3at the expense of somebody/something if something is done at the expense of someone or something else, it is only achieved by doing something that could harm the other person or thing: the growth in short breaks, at the expense of longer package holidays4at somebody’s expense a)if you do something at someone’s expense, they pay for you to do it: Her mansion was refurnished at taxpayers’ expense. b)if you make jokes at someone’s expense, you laugh about them and make them seem stupid or silly: Louis kept making jokes at his wife’s expense.5all expenses paid having all of your costs for hotels, travel, meals etc paid for by someone else: The prize is an all-expenses-paid trip to Rio.COLLOCATIONS– Meaning 1ADJECTIVES/NOUN + expensethe extra/additional expense· Is it worth the extra expense to get a room with a sea view?an unnecessary expense· Paying extra for leather seats seemed like an unnecessary expense.living expenses (=money that you spend on rent, food, and things such as electricity, gas etc)· She receives £80 a week, from which she must pay for all her living expenses.operating expenses (=money that a company spends on running its business)· We must reduce our operating expenses.legal/medical expenses· We had to get a loan to pay for my husband’s medical expenses.· The tenant can incur considerable legal expenses.household expenses (=money spent looking after a house and the people in it)· Unfortunately, household expenses don’t go away just because you’re in hospital or out of work.funeral expenses (=the cost of arranging a funeral)· She had a small insurance policy to cover the funeral expenses.phrasesat great/huge/considerable/vast expense (=used when saying that something costs a lot of money)· The tiles were imported at great expense from Italy.· Recently, and at vast expense to the taxpayer, the bridge was rebuilt.at your own expense (=used when saying that you pay for something yourself)· He had copies of the book printed at his own expense.at (the) public expense (=paid for by the public through taxes)· The bridge was built at public expense.go to the expense of doing something (=do something that costs a lot of money)· The council must now decide whether to go to the expense of appealing through the courts.spare no expense (in doing something) (=spend a lot of money to buy the best things)· Her parents spared no expense in arranging the wedding.· Everything has been provided tonight – no expense has been spared!verbsincur an expense formal (=have to pay for something)· Potential buyers incur the expense of a survey and legal fees.COLLOCATIONS– Meaning 2NOUN + expensestravel/travelling expenses· The company will pay the travelling expenses involved in getting to and from the meeting.entertainment/business expenses· The president receives an unspecified allowance for business and entertainment expenses.relocation/moving expenses· Successful candidates will receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes relocation expenses if needed.verbspay somebody’s expenses· They agreed to pay my travel expenses and initial accommodation costs.claim expenses (=officially ask your employer to pay you back money that you have spent while doing your job)· If you have to stay overnight, you will be able to claim any expenses back.reimburse somebody’s expenses (=pay the money someone has spent for business purposes back to them)· Your expenses will usually be reimbursed within one month of receiving the claim.