EXPENSE

[noun] - (a cause of) spending of or using money, time or effortOur biggest expense this year was our summer holiday. [C]We need to save money by cutting down on our expenses. [C]Buying a bigger car has proved to be well worth the expense. [U]The government needs to consider the expense of its policies to the taxpayer. [U]We've just had a new garage built at great expense. [U]My employer wouldn't pay for a computer for me to use at work, so I bought one at my own expense (= I paid for it myself). [U]It's silly to go to the expense of (= spend money on) buying new clothes when you don't really need them. [U]I don't want to put you to the expense of coming to the airport to meet me. [U]We can go wherever you like for dinner this evening, no expense(s) spared (= it isn't important how much it costs).His business was very successful, but it was at his family's expense (= his family suffered because of it).I think it's very unkind to make jokes at the expense of other people (= which make other people look foolish).I can put this lunch on my expense account (= my employer will pay for it as forming part of my work).