1cost 
/ˈkɑ:st/ noun
plural costs /ˈkɑ:st/ noun 1 : the price of something : the amount of money that is needed to pay for or buy something [count] ▪ The original cost [=price] of the house was $200,000. ▪ She attends college at a cost of $15,000 a year. ▪ The average cost of raising a family has increased dramatically. ▪ We offer services at a fraction of the cost of other companies. ▪ bringing/driving down the cost of computers = lowering/reducing the cost of computers ▪ The person at fault in the accident is expected to bear the cost of repairs. [=is expected to pay for the repairs] [noncount] ▪ What's the difference in cost? ▪ We were able to update the room for very little cost. [=money, expense] ▪ They believe that everyone should have access to adequate medical care, regardless of cost. synonyms 1price 2 [count] : an amount of money that must be spent regularly to pay for something (such as running a business or raising a family)
▪ The cost of doing business in this area is high. ▪ We need better cost control. ▪ The company needs to do some cost cutting. [=needs to find ways to save money] — usually plural ▪ production/manufacturing/operating costs ▪ By keeping costs down, the company will make larger profits from its products. ▪ the firm's efforts to control costs ▪ Those are just some of the hidden costs [=expenses] of owning a house. ▪ The government covers most of the costs of the program. [=pays for most of the program] ▪ The family's medical costs have increased in the past year. ▪ The company has tried to cut costs [=spend less money] in several areas. — see also cost of living 3 : something that is lost, damaged, or given up in order to achieve or get something [noncount] ▪ Winning the war, he believes, was worth the cost in lives. — often used after at ▪ They had won the battle, but at what cost? Far too many people had died. ▪ He had achieved fame, but at a cost; he'd lost many friends and no longer talked to anyone in his family. ▪ She completed the project on time but at the cost of her health. [=the work she did to complete the project on time damaged her health] ▪ He always says what he thinks, even at the cost of hurting someone's feelings. [count] ▪ What are the costs and benefits of the new law? ◊To do something at all costs or (less commonly) at any cost is to do it even if you have to suffer, work very hard, lose everything you have, etc.
▪ She was determined to win at all costs. [=no matter what] ▪ Obscene language should be avoided at all costs. [=never use obscene words] ▪ He is determined to preserve his reputation at any cost. 4 costs [plural] : the money used to pay for a court case
▪ She was fined 50 dollars and ordered to pay court costs.
▪ The cost of doing business in this area is high. ▪ We need better cost control. ▪ The company needs to do some cost cutting. [=needs to find ways to save money] — usually plural ▪ production/manufacturing/operating costs ▪ By keeping costs down, the company will make larger profits from its products. ▪ the firm's efforts to control costs ▪ Those are just some of the hidden costs [=expenses] of owning a house. ▪ The government covers most of the costs of the program. [=pays for most of the program] ▪ The family's medical costs have increased in the past year. ▪ The company has tried to cut costs [=spend less money] in several areas. — see also cost of living
▪ She was determined to win at all costs. [=no matter what] ▪ Obscene language should be avoided at all costs. [=never use obscene words] ▪ He is determined to preserve his reputation at any cost.
▪ She was fined 50 dollars and ordered to pay court costs.
at cost
US ◊If you buy or sell something at cost, you buy or sell it for the amount of money that was needed to make it or get it.
▪ We sold the books at cost. [=we sold the books for the same amount of money we paid to buy them; we did not make a profit from selling the books]
▪ We sold the books at cost. [=we sold the books for the same amount of money we paid to buy them; we did not make a profit from selling the books]
at no cost
— used to say that something is free ▪ Improvements have been made at no cost to taxpayers. ▪ Club members can bring a friend at no extra cost.
count the cost — see 1count
to your cost
chiefly Brit : from your own bad experience
▪ I found out to my cost that he was a liar. [=I found out that he was a liar when I was hurt by his lies]
▪ I found out to my cost that he was a liar. [=I found out that he was a liar when I was hurt by his lies]
