| 释义 |
cost
I. \ˈkȯst also ˈkäst\ noun
(-s)
Etymology: Middle English, from Old French, from coster, v.
1.
a. : the amount or equivalent paid or given or charged or engaged to be paid or given for anything bought or taken in barter or for service rendered : charge, price
b. : whatever must be given, sacrificed, suffered, or forgone to secure a benefit or accomplish a result
< to retain life at the cost of honor >
2. : loss, deprivation, or suffering as the necessary price of something gained or as the unavoidable result or penalty of an action
< knowledge is gained at the cost of innocence >
< he found him, to his cost, a dangerous enemy >
3. : the expenditure or outlay of money, time, or labor
< to spare no cost in furnishing a house >
< to live cost-free >
4. costs plural : expenses incurred in litigation: as
a. : those payable to the attorney or counsel by his client especially when fixed by law
b. : those given by the law or the court to the prevailing against the losing party in equity and frequently by statute — called also bill of costs
5. : an item of outlay incurred in the operation of a business enterprise (as for the purchase of raw materials, labor, services, supplies) including depreciation and amortization of capital assets — see actual cost, conversion cost, direct cost, distribution cost, historical cost, indirect cost, predetermined cost, prime cost, production cost, standard cost
6. : something that is sacrificed to obtain something else — see alternative cost, real cost
II. verb
(cost ; cost ; costing ; costs)
Etymology: Middle English costen, from Middle French coster, from Latin constare to stand with or at, cost, agree — more at constant
intransitive verb
1. : to require expenditure or payment
2. : to require effort, suffering, or loss
transitive verb
1.
a. : to have a price of
< the book costs five dollars >
b. : to cause or require the expenditure or loss of
< riots between natives and foreigners cost some lives — Encyc. Americana >
< to prepare oneself for this costs some trouble — I.A.Richards >
2. : to cause to pay, suffer, or lose something
< it will cost you about $10 each way — Richard Joseph >
< long wait had cost him his dinner — T.B.Costain >
< rear guard action that cost the British dearly — F.V.W.Mason >
III. verb
(-ed/-ing/-s)
Etymology: probably from cost (I)
transitive verb
: to estimate or figure on the cost of
< some colleges try to cost menus before they use them — College and University Business >
intransitive verb
: to estimate or figure on costs
< standardize costing in an industry >
IV. noun
(-s)
Etymology: Middle French coste, literally, rib — more at coast
: ribbon 2a |