cost

²cost

verb

costcost·ing

Definition of COST

intransitive verb

1

: to require expenditure or payment <the best goods cost more>

2

: to require effort, suffering, or loss

transitive verb

1

: to have a price of

2

: to cause to pay, suffer, or lose something <frequent absences cost him his job>

3

past cost·ed : to estimate or set the cost of —often used with out

Examples of COST

1. The trip will cost you about $100 each way.
2. The project will end up costing the government an estimated 3.5 billion dollars.
3. It will cost you a lot of money, but it'll be worth it.
4. His frequent absences ended up costing him his job.
5. The error cost me a reprimand, but nothing more serious than that.
6. a blunder that has cost her considerable embarrassment

Origin of COST

Middle English, from Anglo-French custer, couster, from Latin constare to stand firm, cost — more at constant

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to COST

Synonyms: bring, fetch, go (for), run, sell (for)

Related Words: list (for); amount (to), come (to), total; command, exact; ask, demand

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