释义 |
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024cost /kɔst, kɑst/USA pronunciation n., v., cost or, for 11-13. cost•ed, cost•ing. n. - the price paid to buy, produce, or maintain anything:[countable* usually singular]The cost of a new home in that area is about $500,000.
- an outlay or expenditure of money, time, etc.:[countable]Production costs are too high.
- a sacrifice or penalty to endure:[countable* usually singular]The battle was won, but at a heavy cost in casualties.
- the price that the seller of merchandise paid to buy it:[uncountable]We are selling these chairs at cost, so hurry in today.
- Law costs, [plural] money awarded to a person who wins a court action, to pay for legal expenses.
v. - to require the payment of (money) in an exchange;
have (a sum of money) as the price of: [~ + object][not: be + ~-ing]That camera costs $200.[~ + object + object]That camera cost us $200. - to result in the loss or injury of: [~ + object]Carelessness costs lives.[~ + object + object]Drugs can cost you your life.
- [~ + object + object] to cause to pay: Worrying cost me many sleepless nights.
- to estimate the cost of (manufactured articles, etc.):[~ + object]We spent weeks trying to cost the new computer lab.
Idioms- Idioms at all costs, by any means necessary:You've got to keep that programmer working for us at all costs.
cost is a noun and a verb, costly is an adjective:The costs are high. How much does it cost? Those are costly diamonds. WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024cost (kôst, kost),USA pronunciation n., v., cost or, for 11–13, cost•ed, cost•ing. n. - 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.
- Law costs:
- 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.
- Idioms 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. v.t. - 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.).
v.i. - to estimate or determine costs, as of manufacturing something.
- cost out, to calculate the cost of (a project, product, etc.) in advance:to cost out a major construction project.
- Anglo-French, Old French, noun, nominal derivative of the verb, verbal
- Latin constāre to stand together, be settled, cost; compare constant; (noun, nominal) Middle English
- Anglo-French, Old French co(u)ster
- (verb, verbal) Middle English costen 1200–50
cost′less, adj. cost′less•ness, n. - 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged charge, expense, expenditure, outlay. See price.
- 3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged detriment.
cost-, - var. of costo- before a vowel:costate.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: cost /kɒst/ n - 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) the expenses of judicial proceedings
- at any cost, at all costs ⇒ regardless of cost or sacrifice involved
- at the cost of ⇒ at the expense of losing
vb (costs, costing, cost)- (transitive) 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
Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French (n), from coster to cost, from Latin constāre to stand at, cost, from stāre to stand |