af|fix (affixes , affixing , affixed ) The verb is pronounced /əf I ks/. The noun is pronounced /æ f I ks/. 1 VERB If you affix one thing to another, you stick it or attach it to the other thing. [FORMAL ] □ [V n + to ] Complete the form and affix four tokens to its back. □ [V n] I covered the scroll in sealing wax, and affixed a red ribbon. □ [V -ed] …special storage racks affixed to the sides of buses. [Also V n prep/adv]
2 N‑COUNT An affix is a letter or group of letters, for example 'un-' or '-y', which is added to either the beginning or the end of a word to form a different word with a different meaning. For example, 'un-' is added to 'kind' to form 'unkind'. Compare prefix and suffix .
af|flict /əfl I kt/ (afflicts , afflicting , afflicted ) VERB If you are afflicted by pain, illness, or disaster, it affects you badly and makes you suffer. [FORMAL ] □ [be V -ed + by/with ] Italy has been afflicted by political corruption for decades. □ [V n] There are two main problems which afflict people with hearing impairments.
af|flic|tion /əfl I kʃ ə n/ (afflictions ) N‑VAR An affliction is something which causes physical or mental suffering. [FORMAL ] □ Hay fever is an affliction which arrives at an early age.
af|flu|ence /æ fluəns/ N‑UNCOUNT Affluence is the state of having a lot of money or a high standard of living. [FORMAL ] □ The postwar era was one of new affluence for the working class.
af|flu|ent /æ fluənt/ ADJ If you are affluent , you have a lot of money. □ Today's affluent Indian tourists are also big spenders. ● N‑PLURAL The affluent are people who are affluent. □ The diet of the affluent has not changed much over the decades.
af|ford ◆◇◇ /əfɔː r d/ (affords , affording , afforded )
1 VERB If you cannot afford something, you do not have enough money to pay for it. □ [V n] My parents can't even afford a new refrigerator. □ [V to-inf] We couldn't afford to buy a new rug.
2 VERB If you say that you cannot afford to do something or allow it to happen, you mean that you must not do it or must prevent it from happening because it would be harmful or embarrassing to you. □ [V to-inf] We can't afford to wait. □ [V n] The country could not afford the luxury of an election.
3 VERB If someone or something affords you an opportunity or protection, they give it to you. [FORMAL ] □ [V n n] This affords us the opportunity to ask questions about how the systems might change. □ [V n] It was a cold room, but it afforded a fine view of the Old City. USAGE afford
You use afford with can , could , or be able to . Don’t say that someone ‘affords’ something. □ It’s too expensive – we can’t afford it. □ When will we be able to afford a new TV?
af|ford|able /əfɔː r dəb ə l/ ADJ If something is affordable , most people have enough money to buy it. □ …the availability of affordable housing. ● af|forda|bil|ity /əfɔː r dəb I l I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT □ …research into homelessness and housing affordability.
af|for|esta|tion /æfɒ r I ste I ʃ ə n, [AM ] -fɔː r-/ N‑UNCOUNT Afforestation is the process of planting large numbers of trees on land which has few or no trees on it. □ Since the Sixties, afforestation has changed the Welsh countryside.
af|fray /əfre I / N‑SING An affray is a noisy and violent fight, especially in a public place. [FORMAL ]
af|front /əfrʌ nt/ (affronts , affronting , affronted )
1 VERB If something affronts you, you feel insulted and hurt because of it. [FORMAL ] □ [V ] His reforms had so affronted many of his natural supporters in England. ● af|front|ed ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] □ He pretended to be affronted, but inwardly he was pleased.
2 N‑COUNT [usu sing] If something is an affront to you, it is an obvious insult to you. □ [+ to ] It's an affront to human dignity to keep someone alive like this.
Af|ghan /æ fgæn/ (Afghans ) ADJ Afghan means belonging or relating to Afghanistan, or to its people or language. □ …the Afghan capital, Kabul. ● N‑COUNT An Afghan is a person who comes from Afghanistan.
afi|cio|na|do /əf I ʃiənɑː doʊ/ (aficionados ) N‑COUNT If someone is an aficionado of something, they like it and know a lot about it. □ [+ of ] I happen to be an aficionado of the opera, and I love art museums. □ …a jazz aficionado.
afield /əfiː ld/
1 PHRASE Further afield or farther afield means in places or areas other than the nearest or most obvious one. □ They enjoy participating in a wide variety of activities, both locally and further afield.
2 PHRASE If someone comes from far afield , they come from a long way away. □ Many of those arrested came from far afield.
afire /əfa I ə r / ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If something is afire or is set afire , it is on fire or looks as if it is on fire.
aflame /əfle I m/ ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If something is on fire, you can say it is aflame . [LITERARY ]
afloat /əfloʊ t/
1 ADV [usu ADV after v, oft v-link ADV , n ADV ] If someone or something is afloat , they remain partly above the surface of water and do not sink. □ They talked modestly of their valiant efforts to keep the tanker afloat.
2 ADV [usu ADV after v, oft v-link ADV , n ADV ] If a person, business, or country stays afloat or is kept afloat , they have just enough money to pay their debts and continue operating. [BUSINESS ] □ They are borrowing just to stay afloat, not for investment.