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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Cost: Meaning, Examples, and Common Usage (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：price (cost)

cost 🔊

/kɔːst/

n., v.

The amount of money you need to pay to buy something or do something.

price 🔊

➕

/praɪs/

n., v.

The monetary value required to purchase a good or service.

📁 Category：Social Economy 🔖 Level：Beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'constare' (con- 'together' + stare 'to stand'), meaning 'to be fixed at a price'.

💡 Mnemonic

Imagine a cash register: every item has a 'cost' – 'C'ash 'O'ut 'S'pent 'T'otal.

📖 Example

Before you buy that new phone, think about the total cost, including the monthly data plan. 🔊 Before you buy that new phone, think about the total cost, including the monthly data plan.

🔗 Collocations

cost of living – The amount of money needed for basic necessities like food, housing, and transportation.

cost reduction – The process of decreasing expenses.

opportunity cost – The loss of potential gain from other alternatives when one is chosen.

🔄 Synonyms

price (n.) – The amount of money for which something is bought or sold.

expense (n.) – The cost incurred in the course of doing something.

fee (n.) – A payment made for professional services or for a privilege.

🚫 Antonyms

profit (n.) – The financial gain after deducting costs.

revenue (n.) – Income generated from business activities.

gain (n.) – An increase in wealth or resources.

🌱 Derivatives

costly (adj.) – Expensive; involving great cost.

costing (n.) – The process of estimating the cost of something.

costless (adj.) – Without cost; free.

📖 Cultural Story

Evolved from Latin 'constare', meaning 'to stand at a price'. Entered English via Old French 'cost'. In modern business, 'cost' is central to pricing, budgeting, and profit analysis.

Meaning 2：is priced at (cost)

cost 🔊

/kɔːst/

n., v.

If something costs a certain amount of money, you need to pay that amount to get it.

Cost as verb: person holding a receipt at a table

is priced at 🔊

➕

/ɪz praɪst æt/

n., v.

To require a specified amount of money in exchange for a product or service.

📁 Category：Behaviors & Actions 🔖 Level：Beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

The concert tickets cost me over a hundred dollars, but the amazing performance was worth every penny. 🔊 The concert tickets cost me over a hundred dollars, but the amazing performance was worth every penny.

🔗 Collocations

cost money – To require payment of money.

cost someone something – To cause someone to lose something (e.g., time, effort).

cost an arm and a leg – To be extremely expensive.

🔄 Synonyms

sell for (phr. v.) – To be bought for a specified price.

go for (phr. v.) – To be sold for a particular amount.

fetch (v.) – To be sold for a certain price.

🚫 Antonyms

be free (phr.) – To require no payment.

be given away (phr.) – To be provided without charge.

🌱 Derivatives

costing (n.) – The action of calculating cost.

cost-effective (adj.) – Providing good value for the amount paid.