Definition of expense
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: financial burden or outlay : cost
built the monument at their own expense
b
: an item of business outlay chargeable against revenue for a specific period
c
: something expended to secure a benefit or bring about a result
2
: a cause or occasion of expenditure
an estate is a great expense
3
: a loss, detriment, or embarrassment that results from some action or gain : sacrifice
everyone had a good laugh at my expense
—usually used in the phrase at the expense of develop a boy's physique at the expense of his intelligence— Bertrand Russell
expense
verb
expensed; expensing
Definition of expense (Entry 2 of 2)
1a
: to charge to an expense account
b
: to write off as an expense
2
: to charge with expenses
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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Time Traveler for expense
The first known use of expense was in the 14th century
See more words from the same century