Everyone knows what consumption is in its everyday sense. After all, even underage citizens make purchases, thereby increasing the expenses of their families. But if you look at this word carefully and take an interest in its interpretation in the dictionary, it turns out that it also carries several additional shades of meaning. For those who are interested in them, this linguistic analysis is intended.
Word in dictionary
Answering the question of what an expense is, the dictionary gives several interpretations. They look like this:
- same as spending;
- action corresponding in meaning to the verb "spend";
- loss of any funds or supplies resulting from their use.
Examples of the use of the word in accordance with the specified meaning:
Example 1. Oleg sadly thought that this time everything would be the same as always: his wife would come, demand money for expenses,he will give her everything he has. And she will not be enough again.
Example 2. A nutritionist expressed his doubts that there are such nutritional conditions that allow the body to produce all protein consumption solely at the expense of food proteins, while maintaining its own tissue forms intact.
Since in the definition of the word there is a reference to the verb "to spend", in order to understand that this is an expense, it would be advisable to consider its interpretation.
Meaning of the verb
According to the explanation given in the dictionary, it has two interpretations.
The first one is to use, to spend on something.
Example 1. Over the past few months, Sergei received and, without hesitation, immediately spent large sums of money, which, of course, did not affect his budget in the best way.
Example 2. It was necessary to set out on a hike very early, it was necessary to take an impressive supply of water with you, which would have to be spent as carefully as possible.
The second option is colloquial and says that "to spend" means "to consume in order to do work."
Example 1. This small car uses only 5 liters per 100 km, but given the distance to be driven, the fuel consumption will not be so small.
Example 2. When drawing up a business plan that must be submitted to a bank to obtain a loan, it turned out that for the manufacture of these products it is necessary, among other things, to spend a large amount of electricity, water and heat.
Another meaningnoun
Regarding what an expense is, the dictionary also says that it is a quantity that is defined as the amount of matter (energy, substance) passing through some cross-section of the flow of the specified matter per unit of time.
Example. According to EU regulations, for devices with a power consumption in the range of 15-50 W, the maximum allowable power consumption in standby mode is 500 mW.
Another interpretation
The next meaning of the word "expenditure" is a value that characterizes the consumption of something in quantitative terms, as per unit of effect, useful product, etc.
Example. As for the consumption of shells on the main lines, it should look like this: in one minute, six howitzer and ten cannon shells per four-gun battery.
Financial term
What is the expense of economists and financiers? The dictionary says that this is a section, a column, which is available in accounting documents in order to make entries about costs there. And also these are the costs incurred in the course of the enterprise's activities, which lead to a decrease in its funds or an increase in debt obligations.
Example. When analyzing the operation of the enterprise for the first half of the year, the economic department concluded that excessive expenses had a detrimental effect on the bottom line, actually exceeding revenues.
