\Cost\ (k?st; 115), n. [L. costa rib. See {Coast}.]
1. A rib; a side; a region or coast. [Obs.] --Piers Plowman.
         Betwixt the costs of a ship.          --B. Jonson.
2. (Her.) See {Cottise}.

\Cost\ (k[o^]st; 115), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Cost}; p. pr. &
vb. n. {Costing}.] [OF. coster, couster, F. co[^u]ter, fr. L.
constare to stand at, to cost; con- + stare to stand. See
{Stand}, and cf. {Constant}.]
1. To require to be given, expended, or laid out therefor, as
   in barter, purchase, acquisition, etc.; to cause the cost,
   expenditure, relinquishment, or loss of; as, the ticket
   cost a dollar; the effort cost his life.
         A diamond gone, cost me two thousand ducats. --Shak.
         Though it cost me ten nights' watchings. --Shak.
2. To require to be borne or suffered; to cause.
         To do him wanton rites, which cost them woe.
                                               --Milton.
{To cost dear}, to require or occasion a large outlay of
   money, or much labor, self-denial, suffering, etc.

\Cost\, n. [OF. cost, F. co[^u]t. See {Cost}, v. t. ]
1. The amount paid, charged, or engaged to be paid, for
   anything bought or taken in barter; charge; expense;
   hence, whatever, as labor, self-denial, suffering, etc.,
   is requisite to secure benefit.
         One day shall crown the alliance on 't so please
         you, Here at my house, and at my proper cost.
                                               --Shak.
         At less cost of life than is often expended in a
         skirmish, [Charles V.] saved Europe from invasion.
                                               --Prescott.
2. Loss of any kind; detriment; pain; suffering.
         I know thy trains, Though dearly to my cost, thy
         gins and toils.                       --Milton.
3. pl. (Law) Expenses incurred in litigation.
Note: Costs in actions or suits are either between attorney
      and client, being what are payable in every case to the
      attorney or counsel by his client whether he ultimately
      succeed or not, or between party and party, being those
      which the law gives, or the court in its discretion
      decrees, to the prevailing, against the losing, party.
{Bill of costs}. See under {Bill}.
{Cost free}, without outlay or expense. ``Her duties being to
   talk French, and her privileges to live cost free and to
   gather scraps of knowledge.'' --Thackeray.