expense

2 ENTRIES FOUND:

expense /ɪkˈspɛns/ noun

plural expenses

expense

/ɪkˈspɛns/

noun

plural expenses

Learner's definition of EXPENSE

[noncount] : the amount of money that is needed to pay for or buy something费用；花费；价钱

I'd like to save the time and expense [=cost] of redoing the whole thing.我想节省重做一遍的时间和费用。
I don't think a first-class ticket is worth the added/extra expense.我认为头等舱票并不值那笔额外的花费。

— often used after at常用在at后

These items were imported at great/considerable/enormous expense. [=it cost a lot to import them]这些商品进口价格高昂。
We were able to fix the problem at very little expense. [=for very little money]我们用很少的钱解决了这个问题。
The repairs were made at no expense to us. [=without costing us anything]此次维修没有花我们一分钱。

— see also at someone's expense (below)

◊ If you spare no expense, you spend as much money as you need to in order to make something as good as possible.不惜花钱

[count] : an amount of money that must be spent especially regularly to pay for something开支；花销

— usually plural通常用复数

Their expenses [=expenditures] were getting far ahead of their income.他们的开支远远超过了收入。
We need to find a way to control expenses.我们需要找到一个控制开支的办法。
cutting back on expenses削减开支
legal/medical/household expenses [=costs]律师/医疗费用；家庭开支
I'm concerned about the project's hidden expenses.我担心这一项目的潜在开支。
You'll have to pay your own travel/traveling expenses.你得支付自己的旅费。
an all-expenses paid trip [=a journey for which all costs are already paid]全程免费的旅行

[count] : something on which money is spent花销的东西，开销

A new car is a major expense.新车是一项主要开销。
My new computer was a business expense. [=something I had to buy in order to do business]我的新电脑是一项业务开销。

at someone's expense

: paid for by someone由某人付费；花某人的钱

a fancy dinner at my parents' expense由我父母出钱的丰盛晚餐
a stadium built at the taxpayers' expense = a stadium built at taxpayer expense [=with money from taxes]用纳税人的钱建造的体育场
The tour is free, but all meals are at your own expense. [=you must pay for your meals]本次旅行免费，但所有餐费自理。

◊ If someone makes a joke about you or laughs at you, the joke or laughter is said to be at your expense.（玩笑、嘲笑等）针对某人

: in a way that harms (something or someone)以…为代价；在…受损害的情况下

Malls flourished at the expense of small stores downtown.大型购物商场繁荣兴盛，而市区小商店的利益却受到了损害。
She acquired power at the expense of friendships.她以牺牲友谊为代价获取了权力。
He argues that the tax cut will benefit the rich at the expense of the poor.他指出，减税将使富人获益，穷人受害。

: to spend money on something把钱花在…上

Why go to the expense of installing something you'll never use?为什么要花钱安装一些你永远都用不着的东西呢？
She went to great expense to have this party.她花了一大笔钱来举办这场聚会。