1.  expense(n = noun.possession) disbursal, disbursement - amounts paid for goods and services that may be currently tax deductible (as opposed to capital expenditures);
is a kind of cost
has particulars: business expense, trade expense, interest expense, lobbying expense, medical expense, non-cash expense, moving expense, budget items, operating cost, operating expense, overhead, personal expense

2.  expense(n = noun.event) - a detriment or sacrifice; "at the expense of"
is a kind of detriment, hurt

3.  expense(n = noun.possession) - money spent to perform work and usually reimbursed by an employer; "he kept a careful record of his expenses at the meeting"
is a kind of expenditure, outgo, outlay, spending
has particulars: incidental, incidental expense, minor expense, travel expense

   expense(v = verb.change) write down, write off - reduce the estimated value of something; "For tax purposes you can write off the laser printer"
is one way to depreciate
Sample sentences: Somebody ----s something

1.  A spending or consuming; disbursement; expenditure. [1913 Webster]
"Husband nature's riches from expense." [1913 Webster]

2.  That which is expended, laid out, or consumed; cost; outlay; charge; -- sometimes with the notion of loss or damage to those on whom the expense falls; as, the expenses of war; an expense of time. [1913 Webster]
"Courting popularity at his party's expense." [1913 Webster]

3.  Loss. Shak. [1913 Webster]
"And moan the expense of many a vanished sight." [1913 Webster]

expense, n.
1 cost incurred; payment of money.
2 (usu. in pl.) a costs incurred in doing a particular job etc. (will pay your expenses). b an amount paid to reimburse this (offered me {pound}40 per day expenses).
3 a thing that is a cause of much expense (the house is a real expense to run).

Idiom:
at the expense of so as to cause loss or damage or discredit to. expense account a list of an employee's expenses payable by the employer.

Etymology:
ME f. AF, alt. of OF espense f. LL expensa (money) spent, past part. of L expendere EXPEND

N  price, amount, cost, expense, prime cost, charge, figure, demand, damage, fare, hire, wages, value, dues, duty, toll, tax, impost, cess, sess, tallage, levy, abkari, capitation tax, poll tax, doomage, likin, gabel, gabelle, gavel, octroi, custom, excise, assessment, benevolence, tithe, tenths, exactment, ransom, salvage, tariff, brokerage, wharfage, freightage, bill, shot, priced, to the tune of, ad valorem, dutiable, mercenary, venal, no penny no paternoster, point d'argent point de Suisse, no longer pipe no longer dance, no song no supper, if you dance you have to pay the piper, you get what you pay for, there's no such thing as a free lunch, one may have it for, a bon marche.

at any expense, business expense, expense account, expense record, incidental expense, interest expense, lobbying expense, medical expense, minor expense, moving expense, non-cash expense, operating expense, organization expense, personal expense, promotional expense, trade expense, travel expense