kɔst v. & n. --v. (past
and past part. cost) 1 tr. be obtainable
for (a
sum of money);
have as a
price (what
does it cost?; it cost me ø50). 2 tr.
involve as a
loss or
sacrifice (it cost
them much effort; it cost
him his life). 3 tr. (past and past part. costed)
fix or
estimate the cost or price
of. 4 colloq. a tr. be
costly to (it'll cost you). b intr. be costly. --n. 1
what a
thing costs; the price
paid or to be paid. 2 a loss or sacrifice; an
expenditure of
time, effort, etc. 3 (in pl.)
legal expenses,
esp.
those allowed in
favour of the
winning party or
against the losing party in a
suit. øat
all costs (or at
any cost) no
matter what the cost or
risk may be. at cost at the
initial cost; at cost price. at the cost of at the
expense of losing or sacrificing. cost
accountant an accountant
who records costs and (esp. overhead) expenses in a
business concern. cost-benefit assessing the
relation between the cost of an
operation and the
value of the resulting benefits (cost-benefit analysis). cost (or costing)
clerk a clerk who records costs and expenses in a business concern. cost a
person dear (or dearly) involve a person in a
high cost or a
heavy penalty. cost-effective
effective or
productive in relation to
its cost. cost of
living the
level of prices esp. of the
basic necessities of
life. cost-plus
calculated as the basic cost
plus a
profit factor. cost price the price paid for a thing by
one who later sells
it. cost
push Econ. factors
other than demand that cause inflation. to a person's cost at a person's expense;
with loss or
disadvantage to a person. [ME f. OF
coster, couster, coust ult. f. L constare
stand firm, stand at a price (as
COM-,
stare stand)]
