Definitions for afford
əˈfɔrd, əˈfoʊrdaf·ford

Princeton's WordNet(3.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. affordverb

   be able to spare or give up

   "I can't afford to spend two hours with this person"

2. yield, give, affordverb

   be the cause or source of

   "He gave me a lot of trouble"; "Our meeting afforded much interesting information"

3. affordverb

   have the financial means to do something or buy something

   "We can't afford to send our children to college"; "Can you afford this car?"

4. afford, open, giveverb

   afford access to

   "the door opens to the patio"; "The French doors give onto a terrace"

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. affordverb

   To incur, stand, or bear without serious detriment, as an act which might under other circumstances be injurious; -- with an auxiliary, as can, could, might, etc.; to be able or rich enough.

   Etymology: From afōrthen, geforðian, forðian, from forð. The prefix ge- has no well defined sense. See forth.

2. affordverb

   To offer, provide, or supply, as in selling, granting, expending, with profit, or without loss or too great injury.

   Etymology: From afōrthen, geforðian, forðian, from forð. The prefix ge- has no well defined sense. See forth.

3. affordverb

   To give forth; to supply, yield, or produce as the natural result, fruit, or issue.

   Etymology: From afōrthen, geforðian, forðian, from forð. The prefix ge- has no well defined sense. See forth.

4. affordverb

   To give, grant, or confer, with a remoter reference to its being the natural result; to provide; to furnish.

   A good life affords consolation in old age.

   Etymology: From afōrthen, geforðian, forðian, from forð. The prefix ge- has no well defined sense. See forth.

Webster Dictionary(5.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Affordverb

   to give forth; to supply, yield, or produce as the natural result, fruit, or issue; as, grapes afford wine; olives afford oil; the earth affords fruit; the sea affords an abundant supply of fish

   Etymology: [OE. aforthen, AS. geforian, forian, to further, accomplish, afford, fr. for forth, forward. The prefix ge- has no well defined sense. See Forth.]

2. Affordverb

   to give, grant, or confer, with a remoter reference to its being the natural result; to provide; to furnish; as, a good life affords consolation in old age

   Etymology: [OE. aforthen, AS. geforian, forian, to further, accomplish, afford, fr. for forth, forward. The prefix ge- has no well defined sense. See Forth.]

3. Affordverb

   to offer, provide, or supply, as in selling, granting, expending, with profit, or without loss or too great injury; as, A affords his goods cheaper than B; a man can afford a sum yearly in charity

   Etymology: [OE. aforthen, AS. geforian, forian, to further, accomplish, afford, fr. for forth, forward. The prefix ge- has no well defined sense. See Forth.]

4. Affordverb

   to incur, stand, or bear without serious detriment, as an act which might under other circumstances be injurious; -- with an auxiliary, as can, could, might, etc.; to be able or rich enough

   Etymology: [OE. aforthen, AS. geforian, forian, to further, accomplish, afford, fr. for forth, forward. The prefix ge- has no well defined sense. See Forth.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(1.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Afford

   af-fōrd′, v.t. to yield or produce: to be able to sell, to expend, or to bear the expense of. [M. E. aforthen, from A.S. geforthian or forthian, to further or cause to come forth.]

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. afford

   To have the money within a budget to buy or pay.

   They were able to afford to put money in the bank for savings every month.

   Submitted by MaryC on March 4, 2020  

Matched Categories

1. • Spend
   • Supply

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'afford' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #2613

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'afford' in Written Corpus Frequency: #1014

3. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'afford' in Verbs Frequency: #381

How to pronounce afford?

1. Alex

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

How to say afford in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of afford in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of afford in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of afford in a Sentence

1. Adam Schiff:

   We just can't afford to do business that way.

2. Pat Toomey:

   The waivers simply diminish the burden of this terrible mandate on the refineries least able to afford it, and therefore allow them to continue doing business.

3. Severin Meiland:

   I dont feel poor. Poor people are those who works to keep up a lifestyle that they cant afford, and who always wants more than they have.

4. Paris Carmichael:

   The whole point of the scholarship program was to make higher education a reality for families who can't afford to send their kids to school because of debt.

5. Wayne LaCombe:

   I just can’t afford to get the virus. We’d have to shut our business down.

Images & Illustrations of afford

Popularity rank by frequency of use