afford Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb be able to spare or give up
    • I can't afford to spend two hours with this person
  2. verb be the cause or source of
    yield; give.
    • He gave me a lot of trouble
    • Our meeting afforded much interesting information
  3. 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. verb afford access to
    open; give.
    • the door opens to the patio
    • The French doors give onto a terrace

WordNet

Af*ford" transitive verb
Etymology
OE. aforthen, AS. geforian, forian, to further, accomplish, afford, fr. for forth, forward. The prefix ge- has no well defined sense. See Forth.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Afforded; present participle & verbal noun Affording
Definitions
  1. 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. 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.
    His tuneful Muse affords the sweetest numbers. Addison.
    The quiet lanes . . . afford calmer retreats. Gilpin.
  3. 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. 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.
    The merchant can afford to trade for smaller profits. Hamilton.
    He could afford to suffer With those whom he saw suffer. Wordsworth.

Webster 1913