cost

US: /ˈkɑst/, /ˈkɔst/
UK: /kˈɒst/


English Vietnamese dictionary


cost
  • (toán kinh tế) chi phí, phí tổn
  • c. of handling stock giá bảo quản hàng tồn kho
  • c. of observation (thống kê) phí tổn quan trắc; giá thành quan sát
  • c. of ordering giá đặt hàng
  • c. of production giá thành sản xuất
  • c. of a sample phí tổn của mẫu
  • manufacturing c. giá thành sản suất
  • marginal c. chi phí giới hạn
  • prime c. giá thành sản phẩm
  • purchasing c. giá bán lẻ

Advanced English dictionary


noun, verb
+ noun
1 [C, U] the amount of money that you need in order to buy, make or do sth: the high / low cost of housing + A new computer system has been installed at a cost of £80 000. + The plan had to be abandoned on grounds of cost. + We did not even make enough money to cover the cost of the food. + Consumers will have to bear the full cost of these pay increases. + The total cost to you (= the amount you have to pay) is £3 000.
2 (costs) [pl.] the total amount of money that needs to be spent by a business: The use of cheap labour helped to keep costs down. + to cut / reduce costs + running / operating / labour costs + We have had to raise our prices because of rising costs. + Opinion was divided on the potential costs and benefits of the scheme.
3 [U, sing.] the effort, loss or damage that is involved in order to do or achieve sth: the terrible cost of the war in death and suffering + the environmental cost of nuclear power + She saved him from the fire but at the cost of her own life (= she died). + He worked non-stop for three months, at considerable cost to his health. + I felt a need to please people, whatever the cost in time and energy.
4 (costs) (AmE also court costs) [pl.] the sum of money that sb is ordered to pay for lawyers, etc. in a legal case: He was ordered to pay £2 000 costs. - PRICE
Idioms: at all cost / costs whatever is needed to achieve sth: You must stop the press from finding out at all costs.
at any cost under any circumstances: He is determined to win at any cost.
at cost for only the amount of money that is needed to make or get sth, without any profit being added on: goods sold at cost
know / learn / find sth to your cost to know sth because of sth unpleasant that has happened to you: He's a ruthless businessman, as I know to my cost.
more at COUNT v.
+ verb (cost, cost)
Help Note: In sense 4 costed is used for the past tense and past participle.
1 if sth costs a particular amount of money, you need to pay that amount in order to buy, make or do it: [VN] How much did it cost? + I didn't get it because it cost too much. + Tickets cost ten dollars each. + Calls to the helpline cost 38p per minute. + Don't use too much of it-it cost a lot of money. + All these reforms will cost money (= be expensive). + Good food need not cost a fortune (= cost a lot of money). + [VNN] The meal cost us about £40. + This is costing the taxpayer £10 billion a year. + [VN to inf] The hospital will cost an estimated £2 million to build. + It costs a fortune to fly first class.
2 to cause the loss of sth: [VNN] That one mistake almost cost him his life. + A late penalty cost United the game (= meant that they did not win the game). + Such behaviour could cost you your place in the team. + [VN] The closure of the factory is likely to cost 1 000 jobs.
3 [VNN] to involve you in making an effort or doing sth unpleasant: The accident cost me a visit to the doctor. + Financial worries cost her many sleepless nights. + She would never know how much it cost him to tell her.
4 (costed, costed) [VN] [usually passive] ~ sth (out) to estimate how much money will be needed for sth or the price that should be charged for sth: The project needs to be costed in detail. + Their accountants have costed the project at $8.1 million. + Have you costed out these proposals yet? + fully costed proposals
See also - COSTING
Idioms: cost sb dear to make sb suffer a lot: That one mistake has cost him dear over the years.
it will cost you (spoken) used to say that sth will be expensive: There is a de luxe model available, but it'll cost you.
more at ARM n.

Thesaurus dictionary


n.
1 price, outlay, payment, charge, expense, expenditure, rate, tariff:
The gold strap will double the cost of the watch. If the cost increases, the selling price must go up.
v.
2 sell for, get, fetch, bring in, Colloq set (someone) back:
This would cost twice as much in London.

Collocation dictionary


1 money needed to buy sth

ADJ.

considerable, enormous, great, high, huge, prohibitive
The high cost of energy was a problem for consumers. The cost of repairs would be prohibitive.
| low | escalating, rising | basic | full, overall, total
You will have to bear the full cost of the building work.
| additional, extra
She was unwilling to pay the extra cost to get a room to herself.
| average
A total of 3.6 million tickets at an average cost of $58 are available for the Games.
| gross, net | estimated | budgeted | likely, potential | real | annual, monthly, etc. | replacement
What is the current replacement cost of these assets?
| capital, start-up
(business) The capital cost of these projects (= what it costs to set them up)is some $100 million?then there'll be the operating costs.
| marginal
(business) Competition will drive the price down near to the marginal cost (= the cost of the labour and materials to produce the product).
| unit
(business) (= the cost of producing one item)
| fixed, variable
(business) Fixed costs include rent.
| direct, indirect

VERB + COST

bear, cover, meet, pay
Allow £15 per day to cover the cost of meals. MPs receive allowances to meet the cost of travel.
| increase, push up
Inflation is pushing up the cost of living beyond our reach.
| bring down, cut, lower, reduce | keep down | estimate, put
I would put the cost of a new employee at £30,000 a year.
| calculate, work out | reimburse

COST + VERB

escalate, go up, increase, rise
The cost of dental treatment is increasing.
| fall, go down

COST + NOUN

reduction, savings
the pursuit of cost reduction
| overrun
There were cost overruns on each project.
| base
It is essential that we operate with the lowest possible cost base and most efficient facilities.

PREP.

at a ~ of
A new computer system has been installed at a cost of £80,000.
| ~ to
The cost to the government will be quite high.

PHRASES

an increase/a reduction in cost, at no extra cost
The hotel offers tea and coffee at no extra cost.
| cost of living
The cost of living has risen sharply in the last year.

2 costs: money needed to run a business/home, etc.

ADJ.

considerable, enormous, great, high, huge | low | escalating, rising
We have had to raise our prices because of rising costs.
| administration/administrative, fuel, labour, operating, production, (research and) development, running, transport, travel

VERB + COST

incur
The corporation will pay all costs and expenses incurred with its written consent.
| pay | increase | bring down, cut, lower, reduce
The company has to find ways of cutting costs.
| keep down
The use of cheap labour helped to keep costs down.
| cover
We're hoping that we'll at least cover costs at the conference.

COST + VERB

be associated, be involved
the costs associated with buying and selling property
| escalate, rise

3 effort/loss/damage to achieve sth

ADJ.

considerable, enormous, great, heavy, huge
They advanced a few hundred metres, but at a heavy cost in life.
| dreadful, terrible
the terrible cost of the war in death and suffering
| real | environmental, financial, human, personal, political, social
the environmental cost of nuclear power

VERB + COST

outweigh
Do the benefits outweigh the costs?
| count
The town is now counting the cost of its failure to provide adequate flood protection.

PREP.

at (a) ~ (to)
The raid was foiled, but at a cost: an injured officer who was lucky to escape with his life. He worked non-stop for three months, at considerable cost to his health.
| at the ~ of
She saved him from the fire but at the cost of her own life.
| ~ in
I felt a need to please people, whatever the cost in time and energy.

PHRASES

at all costs/at any cost
You must stop the press finding out at all costs (= whatever it takes to achieve this).
| to your cost
He's a ruthless businessman, as I know to my cost (= I know from my own bad experience).

4 costs: in a court case

ADJ.

legal

VERB + COST

incur
Both sides incurred costs of over £50,000.
| pay
He was fined £200 and ordered to pay costs.
| be awarded
If you win your case you will normally be awarded costs.


Concise English dictionary


costs|costingkɒst
noun
+the total spent for goods or services including money and time and labor
+the property of having material worth (often indicated by the amount of money something would bring if sold)
+value measured by what must be given or done or undergone to obtain something
verb
+be priced at
+require to lose, suffer, or sacrifice