afford
/əˈfoɹd/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: 4.57 in modern English
13
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To incur, stand, or bear without serious detriment, as an act which might under other circumstances be injurious; (usually after an expression of ability, as could, able, difficult) to be able or rich enough; to spare.
Example Sentences
- "I think we can afford the extra hour it will take. We can only afford to buy a small car at the moment."
- "“[…] We are engaged in a great work, a treatise on our river fortifications, perhaps? But since when did army officers afford the luxury of amanuenses in this simple republic?[…]”"
- "If a party member can afford the fee, then the syncophants^([sic]) will go to work."
- "Of course, no one called the fire department. No one would take on fire service fees just to save an unoccupied garage. Most of our households couldn’t afford another big bill, anyway. The water wasted on putting out the fire was going to be hard enough to pay for."
- "Ms Camisa and her husband have had to rejig their finances to afford tuition."
- "Alfred affords his goods cheaper than Bantock."
Etymology
From Middle English afforthen, aforthen, avorthien, from earlier iforthen, iforthien, ȝeforthien, from Old English forþian, ġeforþian (“to further, accomplish, afford”), from Proto-Germanic *furþōną, from Proto-Germanic *furþą (“forth, forward”), equivalent to a- + forth. Cognate with Old Norse forða (“to forward oneself, save oneself, escape danger”), Icelandic forða (“to save, rescue”).
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /əˈfoɹd/
- British English: /əˈfɔːd/