1. vt.买得起，花得起，经得起　 be able to buy or pay for, be rich enough to buy, have enough to spare
2. vt.提供，供给　 provide; give

　～ a fine view　呈现出好风景
　～ a pleasant shade　提供阴凉地方
　～ clothing　买得起衣服
　～ much information　提供许多信息
　～ rice　产米
　～ the time　能抽出时间
　～ sb a good profit　使某人得到厚利
　～ sb a shelter from the rain　使某人有避雨的地方
　～ sb great pleasure　使某人感到很快乐
　～ sb great satisfaction　使某人感到很满意
　hardly ～　几乎买不起
　ill ～　承担不起
　never ～　从未负担得起
　only ～　仅买得起
　～ scarcely　几乎买不起
　～ well　完全负担得起
　～ abundantly　完全负担得起
　～ financially　经济上负担得起
　～ undoubtedly　毫无疑问买得起

　I cannot afford these goods.　我买不起这些货。
　She cannot afford a new dress.　她没钱买新衣裳。
　The parents could hardly afford a private teacher for their child.　父母很难给孩子请得起一位家庭教师。
　I cannot afford the trip to New York, because the travelling expenses would amount to at least $3000 if I went.　到纽约旅行我去不起，因为我如果去的话，这趟旅费至少也得要三千美元。
　I'm so poor that I can't afford it.　我太穷了，买不起它。
　Can you afford ￡1500 for a house?　你拿得出1500英镑买一幢房子吗?
　We can afford the TV set if we save our money.　如果我们能积攒下钱就可买下那台电视。
　She can well afford a new car.　她完全买得起一辆新车。
　At last we were able to afford a piano.　我们终于能买得起一架钢琴了。
　I can't afford the time for the film this evening.　我今天晚上抽不出时间看电影。
　I can't afford the time for it.　这时间我可能花不起。
　I can't afford the time and money for a long journey.　我没有时间和金钱作长途旅行。
　We can't afford a holiday this summer.　今年夏天我们抽不出时间度假。
　They couldn't afford any more setbacks.　他们再也经不起挫折了。
　This stretch of land affords cotton.　这片地出产棉花。
　Reading affords pleasure.　读书给人以快乐。
　I can't afford to buy this flat.　我买不起这套公寓。
　I can't afford to buy such an expensive watch.　这样名贵的表我可买不起。
　I think you can afford to buy a refrigerator.　我想你是买得起电冰箱的。
　The boy cannot afford to pay his school fees.　那男孩付不起学费。
　We can't afford to pay such a price.　我们付不起这么高的价钱。
　She can't afford to pay for such expensive books.　那么贵的书她买不起。
　Can you afford to lend me some money?　你能借给我一些钱吗?
　We can hardly afford to wait for another hour.　我们几乎不能再等一个小时了。
　Having finished the task, he could afford to relax a bit.　任务完成以后，他可以休息一下。
　He can't afford to offend his boss.　他可得罪不起老板。
　I can't afford to meet your demand.　我不能满足你的要求。
　The family could not afford to send her to college.　家里无力送她上大学。
　She can't afford to miss another day at school.　她再也不能缺一天课。
　He could hardly afford to support his family, could he?　他几乎不能养活他的一家，是吗?
　I cannot afford to have you idle.　我不能让你闲着什么也不做。
　I can't afford to be out of work long.　长期失业，我吃不消。
　We can ill afford to lose this contract.　我们承受不起失去这份合约所带来的损失。
　He couldn't afford to lose any more.　他再也输不起了。
　Tomorrow's meeting will afford us the opportunity of discussing some important questions.　明天的会议将给我们提供讨论重要问题的机会。
　Do the laws of his country afford him a remedy? 　他那个国家的法律是否能让他得到赔偿?
　The conference will afford you an opportunity to meet many foreign scholars.　这次会议将给你提供结识许多外国学者的机会。
　His son's success afforded him great pleasure.　他儿子的成功使他非常高兴。
　Reading this story will afford you much pleasure.　读这个故事会使你得到很大乐趣。
　It will afford us great pleasure to have a business talk with you.　和你共谈业务将给我们带来无限喜悦。
　You will be afforded an opportunity.　你将会有一次机会。
　This trip has afforded great satisfaction to me.　这次旅行使我很满意。
　Valuable facilities would be afforded to them.　将给他们提供各种重要的设施。

 ♣ afford, give, provide, supply
　参见provide条。
 ♣ afford, give
　afford　和give都有“提供”的意思，很多情况下可以互换，但当主语是人时须用give，特别在口语中。例如：

 ♣ afford, buy
　afford　和buy都有“买”的意思，但afford侧重“有无经济能力买”，而buy则侧重“购买的行为”，表示“我买不起”可以说I can't afford，但不可说I can't buy.因为后者的意思是“即使有钱也不准买”。另外， buy常可用在afford后作宾语。

1. 汽车之贵，非富户不敢问津。
　［误］ Motor-cars are so expensive that can be afforded only by the very rich.
　［正］ Motor-cars are so expensive that only the very rich can afford to buy them.
　［析］ afford作“买得起”“花得起”“经得起”解时，不用于被动结构。
2. 我父亲拿不出钱借给我。
　［误］ My father couldn't afford himself to lend me any money.
　［正］ My father couldn't afford to lend me any money.
　［析］ afford不可接反身代词作宾语。
3. 他抽不出时间去度假。
　［误］ He couldn't afford going away on a holiday.
　［正］ He couldn't afford to go away on a holiday.
　［析］ afford后不可接动名词。

　［派生词］ affordable adj.买得起的，负担得起的
　［同义词］ buy; give, provide
　［反义词］ have no financial means for
　［词源］中古英语aforthen（摆在面前）