different between afford vs afform

English

Alternative forms

• afoord, affoord, affoard, affowrd (all obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English afforthen, aforthen, avorthien, from earlier iforthen, iforthien, ?eforthien, from Old English forþian, ?eforþian (“to further, accomplish, afford”), from Proto-Germanic *furþ?n?, from Proto-Germanic *furþ? (“forth, forward”), equivalent to a- +? forth. Cognate with Old Norse forða (“to forward oneself, save oneself, escape danger”), Icelandic forða (“to save, rescue”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) enPR: ?-f?rd?, IPA^(key): /??fo?d/, /??f??d/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??f??d/
• (rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger) IPA^(key): /??fo(?)?d/
• (non-rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger) IPA^(key): /??fo?d/
• Rhymes: -??(?)d

Verb

afford (third-person singular simple present affords, present participle affording, simple past and past participle afforded)

1. 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.

   • “[…] 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? […]”
2. To offer, provide, or supply, as in selling, granting, expending, with profit, or without loss or too great injury.

3. To give forth; to supply, yield, or produce as the natural result, fruit, or issue.

4. To give, grant, or confer, with a remoter reference to its being the natural result; to provide; to furnish.

Usage notes

• Sense 1. This is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive. See Appendix:English catenative verbs

Derived terms

• affordable
• affordance
• offer affordances

Translations

English

Etymology

From Old French aformer, from a- (“to”) + former (“form”).

Verb

afform (third-person singular simple present afforms, present participle afforming, simple past and past participle afformed)

1. (rare) To form; model; cause to conform.

References

• afform in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.