I. ˈkȯst also ˈkäst noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old French, from coster, v.
1.
a. : the amount or equivalent paid or given or charged or engaged to be paid or given for anything bought or taken in barter or for service rendered : charge , price
b. : whatever must be given, sacrificed, suffered, or forgone to secure a benefit or accomplish a result
to retain life at the cost of honor
2. : loss, deprivation, or suffering as the necessary price of something gained or as the unavoidable result or penalty of an action
knowledge is gained at the cost of innocence
he found him, to his cost , a dangerous enemy
3. : the expenditure or outlay of money, time, or labor
to spare no cost in furnishing a house
to live cost -free
4. costs plural : expenses incurred in litigation: as
a. : those payable to the attorney or counsel by his client especially when fixed by law
b. : those given by the law or the court to the prevailing against the losing party in equity and frequently by statute — called also bill of costs
5. : an item of outlay incurred in the operation of a business enterprise (as for the purchase of raw materials, labor, services, supplies) including depreciation and amortization of capital assets — see actual cost , conversion cost , direct cost , distribution cost , historical cost , indirect cost , predetermined cost , prime cost , production cost , standard cost
6. : something that is sacrificed to obtain something else — see alternative cost , real cost
II. verb
( cost ; cost ; costing ; costs )
Etymology: Middle English costen, from Middle French coster, from Latin constare to stand with or at, cost, agree — more at constant
intransitive verb
1. : to require expenditure or payment
2. : to require effort, suffering, or loss
transitive verb
1.
a. : to have a price of
the book costs five dollars
b. : to cause or require the expenditure or loss of
riots between natives and foreigners cost some lives — Encyc. Americana
to prepare oneself for this costs some trouble — I.A.Richards
2. : to cause to pay, suffer, or lose something
it will cost you about $10 each way — Richard Joseph
long wait had cost him his dinner — T.B.Costain
rear guard action that cost the British dearly — F.V.W.Mason
III. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: probably from cost (I)
transitive verb
: to estimate or figure on the cost of
some colleges try to cost menus before they use them — College and University Business
intransitive verb
: to estimate or figure on costs
standardize costing in an industry
IV. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle French coste, literally, rib — more at coast
: ribbon 2a