1 [C,U] the cost of sth in time or money (时间或金钱上的)代价,花费:
Running a car is a great expense.养一辆汽车花费很大。The movie was filmed in Tahiti at great expense.这部电影是花了很大的代价在塔希提岛拍的。
2expenses [pl] money that is spent for a particular purpose (作某用途的)开支,费用:
You can claim back your travelling expenses.你的旅费可以报销。
at sb's expense
1 with sb paying; at sb's cost 由某人付钱:
My trip is at the company's expense.我的旅费由公司支付。
2 against sb, so that he/she looks silly 捉弄:
They were always making jokes at Paul's expense.他们老是拿保罗开玩笑。
at the expense of sth harming or damaging sth 以…为代价:
He was a successful businessman, but it was at the expense of his family life.他是个成功的商人,但却因此牺牲了家庭生活。
expense/Ikˋspɛns; Ikˈspens/n 1 [C,U] the amount of money you spend on something 花销﹐开支: household/medical/living expenses (=money that you spend for a particular purpose) 家庭/医疗/生活开支 All his money went on medical expenses. 他所有的钱都用于支付医药费了。All rooms were fully equipped at great expense (=costing a lot of money). 所有的房间都花了大钱配备齐全。2 expenses [plural 复数] money that you spend on travel, hotels etc when you are working, and then get back from your employer 业务费用: They pay £300 a week plus expenses. 他们给每周薪水 300 英镑﹐外加报销费用。on expenses Don’t worry, I’ll put the taxi on expenses. 别担心﹐我可以报销出租车费。3 at the expense of sb/sth if something is done at the expense of something or someone else, it is achieved by harming the other person or thing 以(损害)某人/某物为代价: A medical career requires commitment at the expense of family life. 从事医护工作需要奉献精神﹐要牺牲家庭生活。4 at sb's expensea) if you do something at someone's expense, they pay for you to do it 由某人付费: a trip to Japan at the tax-payer's expense 由纳税人出钱的日本之行b) in a way that makes someone seem stupid 嘲弄某人: Louis kept making jokes at his wife's expense. 路易斯老是嘲弄妻子。
expenseexpenseexpensesnoun1the cost of something: Having a car is a big expense.2expenses (plural) money that you spend on a certain thing: The company pays our travelling expenses.