| 1 |
[ verb ] be able to spare or give up
Examples "I can't afford to spend two hours with this person" Used in print (Schubert Ogden, Christ Without Myth....)But can we any longer afford the luxury of such smug indignation ? But , as Scripture everywhere reminds us , God does have need of his creatures , and the church , a_fortiori , can ill afford to do without the talents with which the world , by God 's providence , presents it . (Tristram P. Coffin, "Folklore in the American Twentieth...)The commercial propagandist , who can n't afford to be critical , gets_along well with the amateur , from whom he feeds , but he frequently steps on the analyst 's toes by refusing to keep his material genuine . (Max F. Millikan and Donald L. M. Blackmer,...)With_respect_to those countries whose leaders prefer to live with their illusions , we can afford to wait , for in_time their comparative lack of progress will become clear for all to see . (Tristram Coffin, Not to the Swift....)But then his son could afford it . Related terms |
| 2 |
[ verb ] be the cause or source of
Examples "He gave me a lot of trouble" "Our meeting afforded much interesting information" Used in print (Mr. America, 4:6...)( Note how strongly the upper lats and serratus are worked in this fine exercise because of the pin_point concentration of force which the dumbbell variation affords ) . (Richard I. McCosh, "Recreation Site Selection"...)The amount of water frontage , the quantity and quality of the water , and the recreation afforded by it are important . (J. W. C. Hagstrom et al., "Debilitating muscular...)Although biopsies have shown structural changes in some of the reported cases of steroid induced weakness , this case provides the only example known to us in which necropsy afforded the opportunity for extensive study of multiple muscle groups . |
| 3 |
[ verb ] have the financial means to do something or buy something
Examples "We can't afford to send our children to college" "Can you afford this car?" |
| 4 | |
| * |
|