expense

Expense is defined as the cost of something.

(noun)

An example of an expense is the financial burden of buying a brand new car.
An example of an expense is the potential lost time in a project after the direction is changed.

See expense in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

Obsolete the act of expending; a spending or using up
financial cost; fee; charge
any cost or sacrifice
1. charges or costs met with in running a business, doing one's work, maintaining property, etc.
2. money to pay for these charges
a cause of spending; drain on one's finances: a car can be a considerable expense

Origin: ME < Anglo-Fr < LL expensa (pecunia), paid out (money) < L expensum, neut. pp. of expendere: see expend

transitive verb expensed, expensing

See expense in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

a. Something spent to attain a goal or accomplish a purpose: an expense of time and energy on the project.
b. A loss for the sake of something gained; a sacrifice: achieved speed at the expense of accuracy.
An expenditure of money; a cost: an improvement that was well worth the expense; a trip with all expenses paid.
expenses
a. Charges incurred by an employee in the performance of work: was reimbursed for her travel expenses.
b. Informal Money allotted for payment of such charges.
Something requiring the expenditure of money: Redecorating the house will be a considerable expense.
Archaic The act of expending.