Definitions for afford
əˈfɔrd, əˈfoʊrdaf·ford

Princeton's WordNet(2.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. afford(verb)

   be able to spare or give up

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

2. yield, give, afford(verb)

   be the cause or source of

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

3. afford(verb)

   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, give(verb)

   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. afford(Verb)

   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.

2. afford(Verb)

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

3. afford(Verb)

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

4. afford(Verb)

   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.

Origin: 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. Afford(verb)

   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

2. Afford(verb)

   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

3. Afford(verb)

   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

4. Afford(verb)

   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

Origin: [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.]

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. William LaPlante:

   How can we not afford it?

2. Musa Abdullahi:

   I cannot afford meat anymore.

3. Arif Chowdhury:

   They can't afford two phones.

4. Steve Scalise:

   We cannot afford to lose this one.

5. Bobby Tudor:

   Buyers can afford to be very picky.

Images & Illustrations of afford

Popularity rank by frequency of use