cost
/kɔst/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- The amount of money that is needed to pay for or obtain something: The price paid or required to acquire, produce, or maintain something.
- An effort, loss, or sacrifice necessary to achieve or obtain something: The negative consequence or price paid in non-monetary terms, such as time, health, or happiness.
Verb:
- To have (a specified amount of money) as a price: To require the payment of a particular sum of money.
- To cause the loss or sacrifice of something: To result in someone having to give up, suffer, or lose something valuable.
Examples of Usage
Noun:
- The cost of the new car was more than I expected.
- He achieved fame, but at the cost of his personal relationships.
- We need to reduce production costs.
Verb:
- How much does this book cost?
- His reckless decision cost him his job.
- The project will cost a great deal of time and effort.
Advanced Usage
"At all costs" / "At any cost": Regardless of the expense, effort, or sacrifice involved.
- We must protect the environment at all costs.
"To one's cost": As a result of a personally negative or damaging experience.
- He learned to his cost that trusting them was a mistake.
Variants and Related Words
Costly (adj): Expensive; involving great loss or sacrifice.
- The war was a costly victory.
Costing (n): The process of calculating the cost of a project or product.
- The engineer prepared a detailed costing for the bridge.
Synonyms
- Noun: Price, expense, charge, outlay, sacrifice, toll.
- Verb: Be priced at, sell for, set someone back (informal), lose, sacrifice.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Cost out: To calculate the total cost of something.
- We need to cost out the entire renovation before we begin.
Related Idioms
Count the cost: To consider the negative consequences before acting.
- He jumped into the investment without counting the cost.
At the cost of: In exchange for losing or sacrificing something.
- She built a successful career at the cost of her health.
Verb
- require to lose, suffer, or sacrifice
- This mistake cost him his job
- be priced at
- These shoes cost $100
Noun
- value measured by what must be given or done or undergone to obtain something
- the cost in human life was enormous
- the price of success is hard work
- what price glory?
- the property of having material worth (often indicated by the amount of money something would bring if sold)
- the fluctuating monetary value of gold and silver
- he puts a high price on his services
- he couldn't calculate the cost of the collection
- the total spent for goods or services including money and time and labor