favour

[ fey-ver ]

noun

, Chiefly British.

1. favor.

favour

/ ˈfeɪvə /

noun

1. an approving attitude; good will
2. an act performed out of good will, generosity, or mercy
3. prejudice and partiality; favouritism
4. a condition of being regarded with approval or good will (esp in the phrases in favour , out of favour )
5. archaic.
   leave; permission
6. a token of love, goodwill, etc
7. a small gift or toy given to a guest at a party
8. history a badge or ribbon worn or given to indicate loyalty, often bestowed on a knight by a lady
9. obsolete.
   a communication, esp a business letter
10. archaic.
    appearance
11. find favour with
    to be approved of by someone
12. in favour of
    1. approving
    2. to the benefit of
    3. (of a cheque, etc) made out to
    4. in order to show preference for

       I rejected him in favour of George

verb

1. to regard with especial kindness or approval
2. to treat with partiality or favouritism
3. to support; advocate
4. to perform a favour for; oblige
5. to help; facilitate
6. informal.
   to resemble

   he favours his father

7. to wear habitually

   she favours red

8. to treat gingerly or with tenderness; spare

   a footballer favouring an injured leg

Spelling Note

See -or ¹.

Derived Forms

• ˈfavourer, noun
• ˈfavouringly, adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of favour¹

C14: from Latin, from favēre to protect

Example Sentences

I contacted a female friend in Kabul who had been protesting against the Taliban’s and in favour of women’s rights.

From No Straight News

Even when a court rules in favour of a woman, she may still face violence at the hands of her own family.

From No Straight News

The civilian government that finally came to power in 2010 was sadly no more than democracy on a leash, thanks to the 2008 constitution stacked in favour of the Tatmadaw and passed in the wake of Cyclone Nargis.

From Time

The “ten blue links” have diminished in favour of a mix between search features and organic results.

From Search Engine Land

It wasn’t until algorithm updates like Panda and Penguin that started to reward clean content and link-building and with this PBNs have gone out of favour with Google, despite still being used by tonnes of people across the US and the world.

From Search Engine Watch

Cameron's comments will only confirm that she was in favour of retaining the Union all along.

From The Daily Beast

But he fell out of favour when it was revealed he had been on a big-game hunting safari.

From The Daily Beast

They paid only a peppercorn rent of £70 a month (including utilities), until a 2002 review of grace-and-favour homes.

From The Daily Beast

[O]ver the years, I realised that my mother did me a big favour by Christening me Tim.

From The Daily Beast

This decision is about pretending Charles is impartial while he continues to lobby in favour of his own political agenda.

From The Daily Beast

Thy eye desireth favour and beauty, but more than these green sown fields.

From Project Gutenberg

In both cases the decision was made at a feast, and in favour of the one who “loved much.”

From Project Gutenberg

The public eye, ever watchful and timid, waits scarcely for the show of danger to take alarm and withdraw its favour.

From Project Gutenberg

I am in favour of no one paying rates unless he has children actually at a Board School.

From Project Gutenberg

One thing found favour in his eyes; I wrote a good clear hand and at fair speed.

From Project Gutenberg