COST, COSTLINESS, COSTLY
ADJECTIVES
► CHARGEFUL costly, expensive; onerous, burdensome → c1529 obs.
► CHARGEOUS costly, expensive; troublesome, severe, oppressive → 1380 obs.
► COSTABLE costly, expensive → 1475 obs.
► COSTIOUS costly, expensive → 1340 obs.
► COSTIVE costly, expensive → 1933 Amer. dial.
► COSTLEW costly, expensive; sumptuous; lavish in expenditure, extravagant → 1387 obs.
► DAPATICAL costly, sumptuous → 1623 obs.
► DEAR-BOUGHT obtained at great cost, bought at a high price → c1384
► DEARTHFUL costly, expensive; high in price → 1786 obs. exc. Sc.
► DEARWORTH costly, highly valuable, precious → c888 obs.
► DEARWORTHY costly, highly valuable, precious → c1430 obs.
► DIGGING costly, dear, expensive → 1837 Amer. dial. obs.
► DISPENDIOUS costly, expensive; lavish, extravagant, sumptuous → 1727
► ON A SHOESTRING at very small cost or expense → 1904 sl., orig. US
► SALT costly, excessive in amount; expensive, high in price. dear → 1710 Sc. & Eng. dial.
► SALTY costly, expensive, dear → 1974 Amer. dial.
► SUMPTUOUS costly or expensive to practise or maintain → 1551-2 obs., chiefly Sc.
ADVERBS
► COSTLEW in a costly manner, expensively; lavishly, sumptuously → 1480 obs.
NOUNS
► AN ARM AND A LEG the cost of something → 1956 sl.
► ANTE the cost or charge or cost → 1843 colloq.
► BADGERING a beating down the cost → 1844 Eng. dial.
► DAMAGE ► THE DAMAGE cost, expense → 1755 sl.
► DEARTH costliness, dearness, high price → 1632 obs.
► EARTH, THE the cost of something → 1924 sl.
► NUT the cost of a venture → 1912 US sl.
► ONCOST extra or additional cost or expense → 1725 Sc.
► TAX the cost → 1929 Amer. dial.
► UPTAKE-AND-FELLING total cost → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
PHRASES
► IT’S LIKE EATING MONEY this is a costly business → 1887 colloq.
► WHAT’S THE DAMAGE? what’s the cost? how much is the bill? → L17 sl.
VERBS
► DO DAMAGE to cost a lot → 1997 US sl.
► EAT ITS HEAD OFF to cost more than it is worth → 18C sl.
► KNOCK BACK to cost, as in ‘that will knock you back a bit’; to be expensive → 1946 sl.
► LET DOWN to cost, to ‘set one back’ → 1967 Amer. dial.
► PICK UP THE BILL to bear the cost of something → 1945 sl., orig. US
► PICK UP THE CHECK to bear the cost of something → 1945 sl., orig. US
► PICK UP THE TAB to bear the cost of something → 1945 sl., orig. US
► PUT ONE BACK to cost → 1896 Amer. sl.
► SET BACK to cost; to be expensive → 1896 Amer. sl.
► SIT to cost one so much → 1377 obs.
► SUMPTIFY to make great cost or expenses or cost → 1656 obs.
► TAX to cost, to set the price; to charge, to make a claim upon one for an amount → 1848 Amer. dial.
Lexicophilia 