mass noun
1- the cost incurred in or required for something; the money spent on something代价; 价钱; 费用：
we had ordered suits at great expense
我们花大笔钱订购了套装
the committee do not expect members to be put to any expense.
委员会不想让委员们负担任何费用。
1.1
expenses
the costs incurred in the performance of one's job or a specific task, especially one undertaken for another person开销, 花费（尤指业务费用）：his hotel and travel expenses.
他的差旅费。
1.2
- count noun a thing on which one is required to spend money需要花钱的东西：
tolls are a daily expense.
通行费是一项日常开支。
with obj.(一般作be expensed)
1- offset (an item of expenditure) as an expense against taxable income把（开支项目）作为开支勾销。
1.1
- informal charge (something) to an expense account〈非正式〉把…记入费用账户：
I can expense the refreshments.
我可以把点心费用记入费用账户。
短语
at someone's expense
1
- paid for by someone由某人付款; 由某人承担费用：
the document was printed at the taxpayer's expense.
文件的印刷费用由纳税人承担。
1.1
- with someone as the victim, especially of a joke以某人为受害者; 拿某人开玩笑：
my friends all had a good laugh at my expense.
我的朋友都觉得拿我开玩笑很有趣。
at the expense of
- so as to cause harm to or neglect of以…为代价; 在…受损害的情况下; 以致忽视了…：
the pursuit of profit at the expense of the environment
以环境为代价的利润追求
language courses which emphasize communication skills at the expense of literature.
只强调交际技能而忽视文学的语言课程。
词源
late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French, alteration of Old French espense, from late Latin expensa （pecunia） '(money) spent', from Latin expendere 'pay out' （see EXPEND）.