cost and toll share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. cost means “the total spent for goods or services including money and time and labor”. toll means “a fee levied for the use of roads or bridges (used for maintenance)”. cost is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈkɑst/
1.n.the total spent for goods or services including money and time and labor
2.n.the property of having material worth (often indicated by the amount of money something would bring if sold)
“the fluctuating monetary value of gold and silver”
3.n.value measured by what must be given or done or undergone to obtain something
“the cost in human life was enormous”
/ˈtoʊl/
1.n.a fee levied for the use of roads or bridges (used for maintenance)
2.n.value measured by what must be given or done or undergone to obtain something
“the cost in human life was enormous”
3.n.the sound of a bell being struck
“saved by the bell”
| cost | toll | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈkɑst/ | /ˈtoʊl/ |
| Said | kahst | tohl |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Letters | 4 | 4 |
| Parts of speech | noun, verb | noun, verb |
| Senses | 5 | 5 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | none recorded | none recorded |
Full entry for cost · Full entry for toll · More comparisons