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afford
[ uh-fawrd ]
/ ÉËfÉrd /
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This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
verb (used with object)
to be able to do, manage, or bear without serious consequence or adverse effect: The country can't afford another drought.
to be able to meet the expense of; have or be able to spare the price of: Can we afford a trip to Europe this year? The city can easily afford to repair the street.
to be able to give or spare: He can't afford the loss of a day.
to be capable of yielding or providing: The records afford no explanation.
to give or confer upon: to afford great pleasure to someone.
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Origin of afford
WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH afford
accord, affordWords nearby afford
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use afford in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for afford
afford
/ (ÉËfÉËd) /
verb
(preceded by can, could, etc) to be able to do or spare something, esp without incurring financial difficulties or without risk of undesirable consequenceswe can afford to buy a small house; I can afford to give you one of my chess sets; we can't afford to miss this play
to give, yield, or supplythe meeting afforded much useful information
Derived forms of afford
affordable, adjectiveaffordability, nounWord Origin for afford
Old English geforthian to further, promote, from forth forth; the Old English prefix ge- was later reduced to a-, and the modern spelling (C16) is influenced by words beginning aff-
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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