costing

Variant of cost

transitive verb cost, costing

  1. : orig. construed as a vi. with the apparent object an adverbial adjunct, and still felt as a vi. when used with an adverb: it cost him dearly
    1. to be obtained or obtainable for (a certain price); be priced at
    2. to cause or require the expenditure, loss, or experience of: victory cost him his health
  2. costed, costingBusiness to estimate the cost of making, producing, carrying out, etc., as a product or program: often with out

Origin: ME costen < OFr coster < ML costare < L constare, to stand together, stand at, cost < com-, together + stare, to stand

intransitive verb

Informal to be expensive

noun

    1. the amount of money, etc. asked or paid for a thing; price
    2. the amount spent in producing or manufacturing a commodity
    3. the amount paid for something by a dealer, contractor, etc.: a markup is usually added to arrive at a selling price: stoves sold at cost in a sale
    1. the amount of money, time, effort, etc. required to achieve an end
    2. loss, sacrifice; detriment: to smoke at the cost of one's health
  1. Law the expenses of a lawsuit, esp. those assessed by the court against the losing party
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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