cost (redirected from costs)

*king's ransom

Fig. a great deal of money. (To pay an amount as large as one might have to pay to get back a king held for ransom. *Typically: cost ~; pay ~; spend~.) I would like to buy a nice watch, but I don't want to pay a king's ransom for it. It's a lovely house. I bet it cost a king's ransom.

See also: ransom

at all costs and at any cost

Fig. regardless of the difficulty or cost; no matter what. I intend to have that car at all costs. Mary was going to get that job at any cost.

Civility costs nothing. and Courtesy costs nothing.

Prov. It never hurts you to be polite. Always greet people politely, no matter what you think of them. Civility costs nothing. Why not write Mildred a thank-you note? Courtesy costs nothing.

See also: nothing

cost something out

to figure out the total cost of some set of costs or a complex purchase of goods or services. Give me a minute to cost this out, and I will have an estimate for you. Do you have time to cost out these specifications this week?

See also: out

cost a pretty penny and cost an arm and a leg; cost the earth

Fig. to be expensive; to cost a lot of money. Mary's dress is real silk. It must have cost a pretty penny. Taking care of a fancy car like that can cost a pretty penny, let me tell you. It cost an arm and a leg, so I didn't buy it. A house that size with an ocean view must cost the earth!

See also: penny, pretty

estimate the cost at

(some amount) to approximate the cost of something at a particular amount. I estimate the cost at about one hundred dollars. The cost of repairing the car was estimated at over four thousand dollars!

See also: estimate

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and hang the cost/expense

if you say that you will do or have something and hang the cost, you mean that you will spend whatever is necessary I thought for once in our lives let's treat ourselves really well and hang the cost.

See also: and, hang

at all costs

if something must be done or avoided at all costs, it must be done or avoided whatever happens The only other option is working on Saturdays which is something I want to avoid at all costs. He appears to have decided that he must stay in power at all costs.

cost (somebody) a pretty penny

to be very expensive That diamond ring must have cost him a pretty penny.

See also: penny, pretty

cost (somebody) an arm and a leg  (informal)

to be very expensive These opera tickets cost us an arm and a leg!

See also: and, arm, leg

cost somebody dear

if something that someone does, especially something stupid, costs them dear, it causes them a lot of problems Later that year he attacked a photographer, an incident that cost him dear.

See count the cost, and hang the cost

See also: dear

cost a bomb  (informal)

to be very expensive Strawberries cost a bomb at this time of year.

See also: bomb

count the cost

to start to understand how badly something has affected you I didn't read the contract fully before I signed it but I'm counting the cost now.

See also: count

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at all costs

no matter what dangers or difficulties are involved The country must defend its borders at all costs.

Related vocabulary: at any cost

at any cost

no matter how difficult at any price Even if I'm sure I am right, I will avoid an argument with most people at any cost.

Related vocabulary: at all costs

See also: any