expense
♦ ex|pense /ɪksp'ens/ (expenses)
1 [N-VAR]
Expense is the money that something costs you or that you need to spend in order to do something.
He's bought a specially big TV at vast expense so that everyone can see properly...
It was not a fortune but would help to cover household expenses.
2 [N-PLURAL] oft poss N
Expenses are amounts of money that you spend while doing something in the course of your work, which will be paid back to you afterwards. (BUSINESS)
As a member of the International Olympic Committee her fares and hotel expenses were paid by the IOC...
Can you claim this back on expenses?
3 [PHRASE] PHR after v
If you do something at someone's expense, they provide the money for it.
Should architects continue to be trained for five years at public expense?...
4 [PHRASE] PHR after v
If someone laughs or makes a joke at your expense, they do it to make you seem foolish.
I think he's having fun at our expense.
5 [PHRASE] PHR after v, PHR n
If you achieve something at the expense of someone, you do it in a way which might cause them some harm or disadvantage.
According to this study, women have made notable gains at the expense of men.
6 [PHRASE] PHR after v, PHR n
If you say that someone does something at the expense of another thing, you are expressing concern at the fact that they are not doing the second thing, because the first thing uses all their resources.
The orchestra has more discipline now, but at the expense of spirit.
7 [PHRASE] V inflects, oft PHR of -ing, PHR to-inf
If you go to the expense of doing something, you do something which costs a lot of money. If you go to great expense to do something, you spend a lot of money in order to achieve it.
Why go to the expense of buying an electric saw when you can hire one?...ex|pense ac|count (expense accounts)
[N-COUNT]
An expense account is an arrangement between an employer and an employee which allows the employee to spend the company's money on things relating to their job, for example travelling or looking after clients. (BUSINESS)
He put Elizabeth's motel bill and airfare on his expense account.
...expense account lunches.
1 [N-VAR]
Expense is the money that something costs you or that you need to spend in order to do something.
He's bought a specially big TV at vast expense so that everyone can see properly...
It was not a fortune but would help to cover household expenses.
2 [N-PLURAL] oft poss N
Expenses are amounts of money that you spend while doing something in the course of your work, which will be paid back to you afterwards. (BUSINESS)
As a member of the International Olympic Committee her fares and hotel expenses were paid by the IOC...
Can you claim this back on expenses?
3 [PHRASE] PHR after v
If you do something at someone's expense, they provide the money for it.
Should architects continue to be trained for five years at public expense?...
4 [PHRASE] PHR after v
If someone laughs or makes a joke at your expense, they do it to make you seem foolish.
I think he's having fun at our expense.
5 [PHRASE] PHR after v, PHR n
If you achieve something at the expense of someone, you do it in a way which might cause them some harm or disadvantage.
According to this study, women have made notable gains at the expense of men.
6 [PHRASE] PHR after v, PHR n
If you say that someone does something at the expense of another thing, you are expressing concern at the fact that they are not doing the second thing, because the first thing uses all their resources.
The orchestra has more discipline now, but at the expense of spirit.
7 [PHRASE] V inflects, oft PHR of -ing, PHR to-inf
If you go to the expense of doing something, you do something which costs a lot of money. If you go to great expense to do something, you spend a lot of money in order to achieve it.
Why go to the expense of buying an electric saw when you can hire one?...ex|pense ac|count (expense accounts)
[N-COUNT]
An expense account is an arrangement between an employer and an employee which allows the employee to spend the company's money on things relating to their job, for example travelling or looking after clients. (BUSINESS)
He put Elizabeth's motel bill and airfare on his expense account.
...expense account lunches.