afford

/ə'fɔ:d/

Thân thiện

We can't afford to send our children to college.

Definition

1. Verb:
   • To have the financial means to pay for something or to bear the cost of an action: To be able to do or buy something without causing financial hardship.
   • To provide or supply something (an opportunity, a view, pleasure, etc.): To make something available or yield something as a natural result.
   • To be able to do something without risking undesirable consequences: To have the ability to spare time, effort, or a resource for a particular purpose.

Usage and Examples

• Financial Capability:

  • We can't afford a new car this year. (We do not have enough money to buy one.)
  • Can you afford to take a vacation? (Do you have the financial resources to pay for it?)

• Providing or Yielding:

  • The window affords a beautiful view of the garden. (The window provides or offers the view.)
  • His position afforded him many privileges. (His position supplied or gave him privileges.)

• Ability to Spare or Risk:

  • I can't afford to waste any more time. (I do not have time to spare; wasting it would have negative consequences.)
  • He couldn't afford to offend his boss. (The risk of offending his boss was too great.)

Advanced Usage

• "Afford an opportunity": To provide a chance.
  • The conference afforded an opportunity to network with experts.
• "Afford insight into": To provide understanding about.
  • The data affords valuable insight into consumer behavior.

Variants and Related Words

• Affordable (adj): Inexpensive; reasonably priced.
  • They are looking for an affordable apartment.
• Unaffordable (adj): Too expensive to be paid for.
  • Healthcare became unaffordable for many.

Synonyms

• Financial sense: Manage, bear the expense of.
• Provide sense: Offer, yield, furnish, give.

Phrasal Verbs

(This word is not commonly used in phrasal verb constructions. Its meanings are conveyed directly.)

Related Idioms

• "Can ill afford": To be in a situation where doing or losing something would be very difficult or damaging.
  • The company can ill afford another financial setback.

Học thuật

Verb

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

Từ đồng nghĩa

• open
• give
• yield