price
price — noun
1. the money you give in exchange for a product or a service when you buy it
the money you give in exchange for a product or a service when you buy it
The price of a bus ticket in Taipei went up from fifteen to twenty dollars.
the price of [something] + went up
Adina compared the prices of three different laptop models before buying one.
compare the prices of [products]
Bao thought the price of the sofa was too high for its age and size.
The price of fresh fish at the morning market depends on the season.
文法句型
the price of [something]
at a [adjective] price
用法筆記
Use the preposition 'of' after 'price' to name the thing being sold: the price of petrol. Use 'at' before a specific price point: sold at a fair price.
常見錯誤
2. something bad you have to go through or give up to get what you want — for examp
something bad you have to go through or give up to get what you want — for example, losing sleep to finish a project, or losing friends to stand up for your beliefs
Vivek knew the price of success was waking up at five every morning.
the price of [achievement] = what you must give up
Nia paid a heavy price for trusting a business partner who lied to her.
pay a heavy price for [action]
Gita was willing to accept the price of losing friends to follow her beliefs.
Tuan knew the price of fame would be losing his privacy forever.
- cost
the most common alternative; 'the cost of war' and 'the price of war' are both possible, but 'cost' feels slightly more neutral
- penalty
stronger and more punishment-focused; 'the penalty for missing the deadline'
- sacrifice
emphasises what you willingly give up; 'the sacrifices parents make for their children'
文法句型
the price of [achievement]
pay a/the price for [action]
用法筆記
Frequently used with verbs such as 'pay', 'accept', or 'demand'. The structure 'the price of [noun]' names the achievement or goal, and the price itself is a downside you must accept for it.
常見錯誤
price — verb
1. to decide what amount of money a product or service should sell for and put that
to decide what amount of money a product or service should sell for and put that number on it
The new laptop is priced at forty thousand dollars at the electronics store.
passive: be priced at [amount]
Valentina priced her handmade scarves at five hundred dollars each for the market.
price + object + at + amount
The real estate agent priced the apartment too high, so nobody made an offer.
Brooke's furniture shop prices every sofa according to the cost of the cloth used.
- set the price of
more explicit and formal; 'the company set the price of the drug at...'
- value
similar but often used for insurance or appraisal; 'the ring was valued at ten thousand dollars'
文法句型
price + object + at + amount
be priced at [amount]
用法筆記
Very common in the passive voice (is priced, was priced). The price is always introduced by the preposition 'at', never 'for' or 'with'. The subject is typically a seller, shop, or manufacturer — not a buyer.
常見錯誤
2. to check what amount of money different sellers are asking for an item so that y
to check what amount of money different sellers are asking for an item so that you can decide where to buy
Astrid spent the morning pricing office desks for her new small bakery.
price + [objects] to compare costs before buying
Tuan priced several airlines before booking his flight home for New Year's.
price + [options] before [decision]
Gita priced different phone plans online before choosing the cheapest one.
Eve priced various insurance companies before picking a health plan.
- check the price of
easier to understand for learners at lower levels
- compare prices of
more precise when looking at multiple sellers
- shop around for
a phrasal verb covering the same activity of comparing before buying
文法句型
price + object
price around [multiple options]
用法筆記
Distinguish from verb sense 1 (SET PRICE): in this sense the subject is the buyer checking costs, not the seller deciding them. This sense is almost always active-voice. It often appears followed by several options being compared.