1 (U) [又作 an ] (金钱、时间、劳力的) 花费,费用
at great [little] expense
以巨大费用 [几乎不花钱地]
at an expense of 100 dollars
以一百美元的费用
spare no expense
不惜花费
put a person to expense
使人花钱,使人散财,使人负担费用
2 [expenses; 与修饰语连用] …用的经费,…费
school expenses
学费
traveling expenses
旅费
3 [an expense] 很花钱的事物
Repairing a house is an expense.
修房子是很花钱的事
at any expense
(1) 不论花费多少
(2) 不惜任何代价,不惜任何牺牲 (at any cost)
at a person's expense
(1) 以某人的费用
(2) 使某人受损 [添麻烦] ,牺牲某人
They laughed at his expense.
他们嘲弄他 [拿他开玩笑]
at one's (own) expense
(1) 自费
He published the book at his own expense.
他自费出版了那本书
(2) 牺牲自己
at the expense of
牺牲…,以…为代价
at the expense of one's health
以牺牲自己的健康
at sb.'s expense
1.由某人付钱
2.嘲弄；捉弄