favor

[ fey-ver ]
See synonyms for: favorfavoredfavoring on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. something done or granted out of goodwill, rather than from justice or for remuneration; a kind act: to ask a favor.

  2. friendly or well-disposed regard; goodwill: to win the favor of the king.

  1. the state of being approved or held in regard: to be in favor at court; styles that are now in favor.

  2. excessive kindness or unfair partiality; preferential treatment: to treat some people with favor and others with neglect.

  3. a gift bestowed as a token of goodwill, kind regard, love, etc., as formerly upon a knight by his lady.

  4. a ribbon, badge, etc., worn in evidence of goodwill or loyalty, as by an adherent of a political party.

  5. a small gift or decorative or festive item, as a noisemaker or paper hat, often distributed to guests at a party.

  6. Usually favors. sexual intimacy, especially as permitted by a woman.

  7. Archaic. a letter, especially a commercial one.

verb (used with object)
  1. to regard with favor: to favor an enterprise.

  2. to prefer; treat with partiality: The father favored his younger son.

  1. to show favor to; oblige:The king favored him with an audience.

  2. to be favorable to; facilitate: The wind favored their journey.

  3. to deal with, treat, or use gently: to favor a lame leg.

  4. to aid or support: He favored his party's cause with ample funds.

  5. to bear a physical resemblance to; resemble: to favor one's father's side of the family.

Idioms about favor

  1. find favor with, to gain the favor of; be liked by: The play found favor with the opening-night audience.

  2. in favor of,

    • on the side of; in support of: to be in favor of reduced taxation.

    • to the advantage of.

    • (of a check, draft, etc.) payable to: Make out your checks in favor of the corporation.

  1. in one's favor, to one's credit or advantage: All the comments were in your favor.

  2. out of favor, no longer liked or approved; no longer popular or fashionable: He's out of favor with the president and may soon be fired.

Origin of favor

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English favo(u)r, from Anglo-French, Old French, from Latin favōr- (stem of favor ) “goodwill,” derivative of favēre “to be favorably inclined” + -ōr- -or1
  • Also especially British, fa·vour .

synonym study For favor

2. Favor, goodwill imply a kindly regard or friendly disposition shown by an individual or group. Favor may be merely an attitude of mind: to look with favor on a proposal. Goodwill is more active and leads often to outward manifestations of friendly approval: By frequent applause the audience showed its goodwill toward the speaker.

Other words for favor

Opposites for favor

Other words from favor

  • fa·vor·er, noun
  • o·ver·fa·vor, verb (used with object)
  • pre·fa·vor, noun, verb (used with object)
  • un·fa·vor·ing, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use favor in a sentence

Other Idioms and Phrases with favor

favor

see curry favor; in favor of; in favor with; in one's favor; out of favor; return the compliment (favor).

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.