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Afford vs. Pay — What's the Difference?

Afford vs. Pay — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Afford and Pay

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Afford

To have the financial means for; bear the cost of
Able to afford a new car.

Pay

To give money to in return for goods or services rendered
Pay the cashier.

Afford

To manage to spare or give up
Can't afford an hour for lunch.

Pay

To give (money) in exchange for goods or services
Paid four dollars for a hamburger.
Paid an hourly wage.

Afford

To manage or bear without disadvantage or risk to oneself
Can afford to be tolerant.
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Pay

To discharge or settle (a debt or obligation)
Paying taxes.
Paid the bill.

Afford

To make available or have as a necessary feature; provide
A tree that affords ample shade.
A sport affording good exercise.

Pay

To bear (a cost or penalty, for example) in recompense
She paid the price for her unpopular opinions.

Afford

To incur, stand, or bear without serious detriment, as an act which might under other circumstances be injurious; to be able or rich enough.
I think we can afford the extra hour it will take.
We can only afford to buy a small car at the moment.

Pay

To yield as a return
A savings plan that paid six percent interest.

Afford

(obsolete) To offer, provide, or supply, as in selling, granting or expending, with profit, or without too great a loss.
Alfred affords his goods cheaper than Bantock.

Pay

To afford an advantage to; profit
It paid us to be generous.

Afford

(rare) To give forth; to supply, yield, or produce as the natural result, fruit, or issue.
Grapes afford wine.
Olives afford oil.
The earth affords fruit.
The sea affords an abundant supply of fish.

Pay

To give or bestow
Paying compliments.
Paying attention.

Afford

To give, grant, or confer, with a remoter reference to its being the natural result; to provide; to furnish.
A good life affords consolation in old age.

Pay

To make (a visit or call).

Afford

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.

Pay

Past tense and past participle paidor payed (pād) To let out (a line or cable) by slackening.

Afford

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.
His tuneful Muse affords the sweetest numbers.
The quiet lanes . . . afford calmer retreats.

Pay

To give money in exchange for goods or services.

Afford

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.

Pay

To discharge a debt or obligation.

Afford

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.
The merchant can afford to trade for smaller profits.
He could afford to sufferWith those whom he saw suffer.

Pay

To bear a cost or penalty in recompense
You'll pay for this mischief!.

Afford

Be able to spare or give up;
I can't afford to spend two hours with this person

Pay

To be profitable or worthwhile
It doesn't pay to get angry.

Afford

Be the cause or source of;
He gave me a lot of trouble
Our meeting afforded much interesting information

Pay

To coat or cover (seams of a ship, for example) with waterproof material such as tar or asphalt.

Afford

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?

Pay

Of, relating to, giving, or receiving payments.

Afford

Afford access to;
The door opens to the patio
The French doors give onto a terrace

Pay

Requiring payment to use or operate
A pay toilet.

Pay

Yielding valuable metal in mining
A pay streak.

Pay

The act of paying or state of being paid.

Pay

Money given in return for work done; salary; wages.

Pay

Recompense or reward
Your thanks are pay enough.

Pay

Retribution or punishment.

Pay

Paid employment
The workers in our pay.

Pay

A person considered with regard to that person's credit or reliability in discharging debts.

Pay

(transitive) To give money or other compensation to in exchange for goods or services.
He paid him to clean the place up
He paid her off the books and in kind where possible

Pay

(ambitransitive) To discharge, as a debt or other obligation, by giving or doing what is due or required.
She offered to pay the bill
He has paid his debt to society

Pay

(transitive) To be profitable for.
It didn't pay him to keep the store open any more.

Pay

(transitive) To give (something else than money).
To pay attention

Pay

(intransitive) To be profitable or worth the effort.
Crime doesn’t pay
It will pay to wait

Pay

(intransitive) To discharge an obligation or debt.
He was allowed to go as soon as he paid.

Pay

(intransitive) To suffer consequences.
He paid for his fun in the sun with a terrible sunburn.

Pay

(transitive) To admit that a joke, punchline, etc., was funny.
I'll pay that.

Pay

To cover (the bottom of a vessel, a seam, a spar, etc.) with tar or pitch, or a waterproof composition of tallow, resin, etc.; to smear.

Pay

Money given in return for work; salary or wages.
Many employers have rules designed to keep employees from comparing their pays.

Pay

Operable or accessible on deposit of coins.

Pay

Pertaining to or requiring payment.

Pay

To cover, as bottom of a vessel, a seam, a spar, etc., with tar or pitch, or waterproof composition of tallow, resin, etc.; to smear.

Pay

To satisfy, or content; specifically, to satisfy (another person) for service rendered, property delivered, etc.; to discharge one's obligation to; to make due return to; to compensate; to remunerate; to recompense; to requite; as, to pay workmen or servants.
May no penny ale them pay [i. e., satisfy].
[She] pays me with disdain.

Pay

Hence, figuratively: To compensate justly; to requite according to merit; to reward; to punish; to retort or retaliate upon.
For which, or pay me quickly, or I'll pay you.

Pay

To discharge, as a debt, demand, or obligation, by giving or doing what is due or required; to deliver the amount or value of to the person to whom it is owing; to discharge a debt by delivering (money owed).
Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
If they pay this tax, they starve.

Pay

To discharge or fulfill, as a duy; to perform or render duty, as that which has been promised.
This day have I paid my vows.

Pay

To give or offer, without an implied obligation; as, to pay attention; to pay a visit.
Not paying me a welcome.

Pay

To give a recompense; to make payment, requital, or satisfaction; to discharge a debt.
The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again.

Pay

Hence, to make or secure suitable return for expense or trouble; to be remunerative or profitable; to be worth the effort or pains required; as, it will pay to ride; it will pay to wait; politeness always pays.
'T was I paid for your sleeps; I watched your wakings.

Pay

Satisfaction; content.

Pay

An equivalent or return for money due, goods purchased, or services performed; salary or wages for work or service; compensation; recompense; payment; hire; as, the pay of a clerk; the pay of a soldier.
Where only merit constant pay receives.
There is neither pay nor plunder to be got.

Pay

Something that remunerates;
Wages were paid by check
He wasted his pay on drink
They saved a quarter of all their earnings

Pay

Give money, usually in exchange for goods or services;
I paid four dollars for this sandwich
Pay the waitress, please

Pay

Convey, as of a compliment, regards, attention, etc.; bestow;
Don't pay him any mind
Give the orders
Give him my best regards
Pay attention

Pay

Do or give something to somebody in return;
Does she pay you for the work you are doing?

Pay

Bear (a cost or penalty), in recompense for some action;
You'll pay for this!
She had to pay the penalty for speaking out rashly
You'll pay for this opinion later

Pay

Cancel or discharge a debt;
Pay up, please!

Pay

Bring in;
Interest-bearing accounts
How much does this savings certificate pay annually?

Pay

Render;
Pay a visit
Pay a call

Pay

Be worth it;
It pays to go through the trouble

Pay

Dedicate;
Give thought to
Give priority to
Pay attention to

Pay

Discharge or settle;
Pay a debt
Pay an obligation

Pay

Make a compensation for;
A favor that cannot be paid back

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