cost*/*/*/

[kɒst] noun I

1) [C/U] the amount of money that you need in order to buy something or to do something

The cost of basic foods has risen dramatically.[/ex]

We need money to cover the cost of heating (= to have enough to pay for it).[/ex]

We're organizing a trip to London, at a cost of £15 per person.[/ex]

2) [C/U] damage or loss

A new road is needed, but the costs to the environment would be too high.[/ex]

the social costs of unemployment[/ex]

3) costs

[plural] money that you have to spend regularly in order to live somewhere or to run a business

Housing costs are very high in Tokyo.[/ex]

manufacturing/running/operating costs[/ex]

New technology has helped us to cut costs (= reduce them).[/ex]

4) costs

[plural] legal money that someone who is involved in a legal case must give to pay for the lawyers and the court

•

at all costs; at any cost — used for saying that something must be done, even if it causes damage or harm[/ex]

the cost of living — the amount of money that people need in order to pay for basic things such as food and a place to live[/ex]

to your cost — if you know something to your cost, you know that it is true because of a bad experience[/ex]

See:

count I

Words often used with cost Verbs often used with cost (noun, sense 1) ■ bear, cover, pay + COST: pay the cost of something ■ cut, reduce, slash + COST: make the cost of something lower ■ drive up, increase, push up + COST: make the cost of something greater ■ offset, recoup, recover + COST: get back money that you paid II

(past tense past participle cost) verb [T]

cost */*/*/[kɒst]

1) if something costs an amount of money, you need that amount to pay for it or to do it

A new computer costs around £1, 000.[/ex]

Unemployment costs the taxpayer billions of pounds each year.[/ex]

How much does it cost to hire a bike?[/ex]

2) to cause someone to lose something good or valuable

The merger of the two companies will cost jobs.[/ex]

His decision to take the car cost him his life.[/ex]

3) (past tense and past participle costed) to calculate how much something will cost

We have costed our proposals and sent them to the committee.[/ex]

•

cost a fortune; cost the earth; cost an arm and a leg — informalto cost a lot of money[/ex]