From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Afford \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.
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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.
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His tuneful Muse affords the sweetest numbers.
--Addison.
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The quiet lanes . . . afford calmer retreats.
--Gilpin.
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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.
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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.
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The merchant can afford to trade for smaller
profits. --Hamilton.
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He could afford to suffer
With those whom he saw suffer. --Wordsworth.
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From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
afford
v 1: be able to spare or give up; "I can't afford to spend two
hours with this person"
2: be the cause or source of; "He gave me a lot of trouble";
"Our meeting afforded much interesting information" [syn:
{yield}, {give}, {afford}]
3: 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?"
4: afford access to; "the door opens to the patio"; "The French
doors give onto a terrace" [syn: {afford}, {open}, {give}]
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