Dictionary
Thesaurus
Reference
Translate
Web
Related Searches
on Ask.com
cost
4 dictionary results for: at all costs
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
cost       [kawst, kost] Pronunciation Key noun, verb, cost or, for 10–12, cost·ed, cost·ing.
–noun
1.the price paid to acquire, produce, accomplish, or maintain anything: the high cost of a good meal.
2.an outlay or expenditure of money, time, labor, trouble, etc.: What will the cost be to me?
3.a sacrifice, loss, or penalty: to work at the cost of one's health.
4.costs, Law.
a.money allowed to a successful party in a lawsuit in compensation for legal expenses incurred, chargeable to the unsuccessful party.
b.money due to a court or one of its officers for services in a cause.
–verb (used with object)
5.to require the payment of (money or something else of value) in an exchange: That camera cost $200.
6.to result in or entail the loss of: Carelessness costs lives.
7.to cause to lose or suffer: The accident cost her a broken leg.
8.to entail (effort or inconvenience): Courtesy costs little.
9.to cause to pay or sacrifice: That request will cost us two weeks' extra work.
10.to estimate or determine the cost of (manufactured articles, new processes, etc.).
–verb (used without object)
11.to estimate or determine costs, as of manufacturing something.
—Verb phrase
12.cost out, to calculate the cost of (a project, product, etc.) in advance: to cost out a major construction project.
—Idiom
13.at all costs, regardless of the effort involved; by any means necessary: The stolen painting must be recovered at all costs. Also, at any cost.
[Origin: 1200–50; (v.) ME costen < AF, OF co(u)ster < L constāre to stand together, be settled, cost; cf. constant; (n.) ME < AF, OF, n. deriv. of the v.]

—Related forms
costless, adjective
cost·less·ness, noun

—Synonyms 1. charge, expense, expenditure, outlay. See price. 3. detriment.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
CITE THIS SOURCE|PRINT
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
cost       (kôst)  Pronunciation Key 
n.  
  1. An amount paid or required in payment for a purchase; a price.
  2. The expenditure of something, such as time or labor, necessary for the attainment of a goal: "Freedom to advocate unpopular causes does not require that such advocacy be without cost" (Milton Friedman).
  3. costs Law The charges fixed for litigation, often payable by the losing party.

v.   cost, cost·ing, costs

v.   intr.
To require a specified payment, expenditure, effort, or loss: It costs more to live in the city.

v.   tr.
  1. To have as a price.
  2. To cause to lose, suffer, or sacrifice: Participating in the strike cost me my job.
  3. past tense and past participle costed To estimate or determine the cost of: The accountants costed out our expenses.


[Middle English, from Old French, from coster, to cost, from Latin cōnstāre, to be fixed, cost; see constant.]

cost'less adj.
(Download Now or Buy the Book)
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
CITE THIS SOURCE|PRINT
WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
at all costs

adverb
regardless of the cost involved; "he wanted to save her life at all cost" 

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
CITE THIS SOURCE|PRINT
American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms - Cite This Source - Share This

at all costs

Also, at any cost or price. Regardless of the expense or effort involved, by any means. For example, Ann told the doctor to preserve her mother's sight at all costs, or It seems the company plans to develop the product at any cost, or I'm determined to get vacation time at any price. [Mid-1800s]


The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
CITE THIS SOURCE|PRINT
Share This:Share This: digg.comShare This: ma.gnolia.comShare This: www.stumbleupon.comShare This: del.icio.usShare This: FacebookShare This: favorites.live.comShare This: www.technorati.comShare This: furl.netShare This: myweb2.search.yahoo.comShare This: www.google.com