to be able to do, manage, or bear without serious consequence or adverse effect: The country can't afford another drought.
2.
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.
3.
to be able to give or spare: He can't afford the loss of a day.
4.
to furnish; supply: The transaction afforded him a good profit.
5.
to be capable of yielding or providing: The records afford no explanation.
6.
to give or confer upon: to afford great pleasure to someone.
[Origin: bef. 1050; ME aforthen, iforthen, OE geforthian to further, accomplish, equiv. to ge-y-+ forthforth+ -ian inf. suffix]
To have the financial means for; bear the cost of: not able to afford a new car.
To manage to spare or give up: can't afford an hour for lunch.
To manage or bear without disadvantage or risk to oneself: can afford to be tolerant.
To make available; provide: a sport affording good exercise; a tree that affords ample shade.
[Middle English aforthen, from Old English geforthian, to carry out : ge-, perfective pref.; see yclept + forthian, to further (from forth, forth, forward; see per1 in Indo-European roots).]
O.E. geforðian "to advance," from ge- completive prefix (see a- (1)) + forðian "to further," from forð "forward, onward." Change of -th- to -d- was 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 L. word in ad-. Notion of "accomplish" (late O.E.) gradually became "manage to buy or maintain; have enough money (to do something)" (1833). Older sense is preserved in afford (one) an opportunity.
(usually withcan, ~could) to be able to spend money, time etc on or for something Example: I can't afford (to buy) a new car.
Arabic:
يَسْتَطِيع أن يَدْفَع، يَتَمَكَّن مِن شِرَاء
Chinese (Simplified):
负担得起
Chinese (Traditional):
負擔得起
Czech:
dovolit si, dopřát si
Danish:
have råd til
Dutch:
zich (kunnen) veroorloven
Estonian:
endale lubama
Finnish:
olla varaa
French:
avoir les moyens (de)
German:
sich leisten
Greek:
διαθέτω, μπορώ να ξοδέψω
Hungarian:
megengedheti magának
Icelandic:
hafa efni á
Indonesian:
mampu
Italian:
permettersi
Japanese:
余裕がある
Korean:
(경제적·시간적으로) 여유가 있다
Latvian:
atļauties
Lithuanian:
leisti sau, išgalėti
Norwegian:
ha råd til
Polish:
pozwalać sobie na
Portuguese (Brazil):
dar-se ao luxo (de)
Portuguese (Portugal):
dar-se ao luxo
Romanian:
a-şi permite
Russian:
быть в состоянии, иметь возможность
Slovak:
dopriať si
Slovenian:
privoščiti si
Spanish:
permitirse, darse el gusto de
Swedish:
ha råd med
Turkish:
gücü yetmek, bütçesi elvermek
afford2[əˈfoːd]verb
(usually withcan, ~could) to be able to do (something) without causing oneself trouble, difficulty etc Example: She can't afford to be rude to her employer no matter how rude he is to her.
Af*ford"\ ([a^]f*f[=o]rd"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Afforded; p. pr. & vb. n. Affording.] [OE. aforthen, AS. gefor[eth]ian, for[eth]ian, to further, accomplish, afford, fr. for[eth] forth, forward. The prefix ge- has no well defined sense. See Forth.]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.
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