different between afford vs vouchsafe

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

vouch +? safe, written as two words in Middle English and early Modern English.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /?va?t??se?f/
• (Canada) IPA^(key): [?v??t??se?f]
• Rhymes: -e?f
• Hyphenation: vouch?safe

Verb

vouchsafe (third-person singular simple present vouchsafes, present participle vouchsafing, simple past and past participle vouchsafed)

1. To graciously give, to condescendingly grant a right, benefit, outcome, etc.; to deign to acknowledge.
2. To receive or accept in condescension.
   • 1913 Eleanor Porter: Pollyanna: Chapter 8:

     Nancy's lips parted abruptly, as if there were angry words all ready to come; but her eyes, resting on Pollyanna's jubilantly trustful face, saw something that prevented the words being spoken.
     "Humph!" she vouchsafed. Then, showing her old-time interest, she went on: "But, say, it is queer, his speakin' to you, honestly, Miss Pollyanna. He don't speak ter no one; and he lives all alone in a great big lovely house all full of jest grand things, they say. Some says he's crazy, and some jest cross; and some says he's got a skeleton in his closet."

3. To disclose or divulge.

   She vouchsafed to me that she regretted ever marrying him.

Quotations

• For quotations using this term, see Citations:vouchsafe.

Synonyms

• deign

Related terms

• vouchsafement
• vouchsafing

Translations