Cost一词既可以作动词使用，其基本词义为“花费，价钱为”等，也可以用作名词使用，其基本词义为“费用，成本”等。但具体用法却非常难以把握，本文就cost的主要用法总结如下:

一、cost 作名词

(一) 不可数名词，费用，钱等[U] the amount of money needed to buy, do or make something价格；费用；成本。例如:

1. When you buy a new computer, you usually get software included at no extra cost (= for no additional money).买电脑时通常免费附送软件。

2. For many parents, two salaries are essential to cover the cost of (= pay for) school fees. 对许多家长来说，要支付孩子学费双职薪水必不可少。

3. The supermarket chain announced that it was cutting the cost (= reducing the price) of all its fresh and frozen meat.这家连锁超市宣布其所有鲜肉和冷冻肉降价销售。

4. It's difficult for most people to cope with the rising cost of (= increasing price of) healthcare.大多数人都难以承受医疗保健费用的上涨。

5. I was able to buy the damaged goods at cost (= for only the amount of money needed to produce or get the goods, without any extra money added for profit).我能以成本价买到残损商品。

(二) costs 成本；支出 [复数形式plural]the amount of money needed for a business or to do a particular job

1. We need to cut our advertising costs.我们需要削减广告支出。

2.The estimated costs of the building project are well over 1 million.这项建筑工程的成本预算大大超出100万英镑。

(三) cost 给予之物，代价；牺牲；付出something which is given, needed or lost in order to get a particular thing

1.We were going to paint the house ourselves, but when we considered the cost in time and effort, we decided to get a painter to do it for us. 我们本打算自己漆房子，可是考虑到既费时又费力，还是决定请油漆工来做。

2.The driver managed not to hit the child who ran in front of his car, but only at the cost of injuring himself.司机避开了在他车前乱跑的小孩，可自己却受了伤。

3.She has finally got the job she wanted, but at great personal cost (= she has had to give up other things that were important to her).她最终得到了想要的那份工作，可是个人付出的代价很大。

4.It's not worth getting into an argument with Tim, as I learned to my cost (= from my unpleasant experience of having done so).不值得和蒂姆发生争执，因为我已有过教训。

(四) 固定搭配at all cost(s) also at any cost.不惜任何代价；无论如何

1.If something must be done or avoided at all costs, it must be done or avoided whatever happens

Security during the president's visit must be maintained at all costs.要不惜一切代价确保总统在访问期间的安全。

2.He wanted her at any cost, even if it meant giving up everything he had. 他不惜一切代价要得到她，即使这意味着放弃他自己所拥有的一切。

二、verb动词 cost , costs , costing (costed 只有表示估算成本时才是规则动词)

(一) cost, cost If something costs an amount of money, you must pay that amount to buy or do it. 价钱为；需花费

1.—How much does this book cost (= What is the price of this book)? —It costs 25. 这本书多少钱？25英镑。

2.It costs a lot to buy a house in this part of London.在伦敦的这一地区买栋房子要花很多钱。

(二)cost跟双宾语 [cost+ two objects] 花费某人多少钱

The trip will cost you $1000.这趟旅游要花去你1000美元。

(三) cost作规则动词词义为: costed, costed 计算（成本）；计算（花费）

重点: cost作“计算成本，计算花费”为规则动词，主语可以是人。

to calculate the future cost of something

1.How carefully did you cost the materials for the new fence and gate?你是如何细算新围栏和大门的材料费用的？

2.Has your scheme been properly costed (out)?你的方案好好计算过成本吗？

(四) cost , costs , costing 基本词义为: 丧失:to cause someone to lose or destroy something valuable

1. 使付出代价；使丧失；使牺牲

Drinking and driving costs lives (= can cause accidents in which people die).酒后驾车会付出生命的代价。

2. [+ two objects]

His affairs cost him his marriage (= his marriage ended because of them).婚外情葬送了他的婚姻。

(五) cost构成的相关惯用法:

1. 惯用法cost sb dear

A. cost sb dear让（某人）花很多钱；使（某人）损失一大笔钱

to cause someone to spend a lot of money or lose moneyBuying that second-hand car without having it checked by a mechanic first cost us dear.没先请机修工检查就买了那辆二手汽车，这让我们亏了许多钱。

B. cost sb dear 使（某人）付出沉重代价；使（某人）饱尝苦头 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.那年末他攻击了一位摄影师，这件事让他付出了巨大代价。

2.惯用法cost an arm and a leg/a small fortune 极其昂贵；花一大笔钱

I'd love to buy a Rolls-Royce, but they cost an arm and a leg.我倒是想买辆劳斯莱斯，可实在太贵了。

3. 惯用法cost you要花很多钱；会很贵

It'll cost you to have your roof mended.修理屋顶要花很多钱。

Cost作动词用基本词义为“花费，价钱为”等时是不规则动词，但是当作“估算成本”的词义时时不规则动词。用作名词，作基本词义“费用，钱”等时是不可数名词，作“成本，支出”词义时用作复数。另外要特别注意cost构成的惯用法。