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Brainer
Does "can ill afford to do sth" mean "can't afford to do sth" in a formal way?
Example:
I can ill afford (=can't afford) to lose my job.
Thank you in advance!
Jul 18, 2014 5:46 PM
Answers · 3
2
Yes, it means the same. The reason is that 'Ill', as an adverb, means 'Hardly'.
So, if you put the meaning in your sentence, it'll be as, "I can hardly afford (= can't afford) to lose my job."
I hope it helps! ;)
Never Give Up!
July 18, 2014
1
That's exactly what it means. Nice!
July 18, 2014
I can't speak for everyone, but living in the UK, I've never heard or seen this structure. Most people here would simply say "I can't (or cannot) afford to lose my job".
July 19, 2014
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Brainer
Language Skills
English, Japanese, Portuguese
Learning Language
English, Japanese
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