afford

[uh-fawrd, uh-fohrd]

See more synonyms for afford on Thesaurus.com

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 furnish; supply: The transaction afforded him a good profit.
to be capable of yielding or providing: The records afford no explanation.
to give or confer upon: to afford great pleasure to someone.

Origin of afford

before 1050; Middle English aforthen, iforthen, Old English geforthian to further, accomplish, equivalent to ge- y- + forth forth + -ian infinitive suffix

Related formsun·af·ford·ed, adjective

Can be confusedaccord afford

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for afford

manage, allow, provide, grant, offer, support, bear, sustain, incur, stand, spare, render, supply, yield, bestow, impart, furnish

Examples from the Web for afford

Contemporary Examples of afford

As a matter of dollars and cents, America in the short term may be able to afford disability and food stamps.
Bush, Christie, Romney: Who’ll Be the GOP Class Warrior?
Lloyd Green
December 15, 2014
It represented everything about the kind of comfort and the little luxuries in life that a good glass of Scotch can afford us.
A Whisky Connoisseur Remembers That First Sip of The Macallan
December 10, 2014
Selling off the extras, I saw my neighbor marvel at the scent and murmur that he wished he could afford one.
A Million Ways to Die in Prison
Daniel Genis
December 8, 2014
He belongs to a gym, he can afford to pay for that: he can shower, he can keep his belongings in a series of lockers there.
This Fashion World Darling Is Homeless
Erica Wagner
December 2, 2014
Women who could afford to make bail started being released every two hours early Wednesday afternoon.
Dispatch From USC Protests over Ferguson
Maya Richard Craven
November 30, 2014

Historical Examples of afford

Even this, however, failed to afford them as much variety as they wished.
Brave and Bold
Horatio Alger
There is in this city a rag-picker so wealthy that he can afford to drink wine every day.
Punchinello, Vol. 1. No. 20, August 13, 1870
Various
If he had engaged himself to a handsome schoolmistress, it was his fancy, and he could afford it.
Malbone
Thomas Wentworth Higginson
From these I shall endeavor to derive all the advantages which they may afford.
United States Presidents' Inaugural Speeches
Various
Both will afford me encouragement and support in the vicissitudes which yet await me.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. 327
Various

British Dictionary definitions for afford

afford

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 Formsaffordable, adjectiveaffordability, noun

Word 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 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for afford

Old English geforðian "to put forth, contribute; further, advance; carry out, accomplish," from ge- completive prefix (see a- (1)) + forðian "to further," from forð "forward, onward" (see forth).

Change of -th- to -d- took place late 16c. (and also transformed burthen and murther into their modern forms). Prefix shift to af- took place 16c. under mistaken belief that it was a Latin word in ad-. Notion of "accomplish" (late Old English) gradually became "manage to buy or maintain; have enough money (to do something)" (1833). Older sense is preserved in afford (one) an opportunity. Related: Afforded; affording.