afford English · revision 4386

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1050|origins=ang ġeforþian}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /əˈfɔːd/, US /əˈfɔːrd/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|aforthen]], earlier iforthen,^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) [[inh|ang|ġeforþian|t=to put forth; further, advance; carry out, accomplish]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) from the completive prefix ge-, which regularly became a- in Middle English, and forþian “to further”, from forþ, the source of [[forth]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) In the 16th century the prefix was respelled af- in the mistaken belief that the word was Latin, with ad-,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) and th became d, as in burden and murder.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ “To forward to completion, perform, accomplish”: about 1050 in the OED,^(OED 1989) late Old English in Etymonline.^(Etymonline) The spelling afford is from 1588, in Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The notion of “accomplish” gradually became “to be able to bear the expense of, have enough money for”, from the late 14th century,^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021)^(Hoad 1986) and the original senses died out.^(Etymonline) “To manage to give, to spare” is from about 1449.^(OED 1989) Of things, “to be capable of yielding”, it is from the 1580s,^(Etymonline) 1581 in the OED, the sense in ''afford an opportunity'',^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) and “to give, furnish, grant” from 1596,^(OED 1989) the 16th century in Hoad.^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1050 – to accomplish.^(OED 1989)

+ * late 14th century – to have the means.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1449 – to manage to give.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1581 – to yield.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1588 – the spelling afford.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1596 – to furnish, grant.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To have enough [[money]] to pay for: ''can't afford a car''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To be able to spare or give up: ''can't afford the time''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To be able to do without risk: ''we can't afford to wait''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To [[provide]] or make available: ''the hill affords a fine view''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[affordability]]

+ * [[affordable]]

+ * [[affordably]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[forth]]

+ * [[further]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}