favor

[ fey-ver ]

/ ˈfeɪ vər /

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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR favor ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Archaic. a letter, especially a commercial one.

verb (used with object)

to regard with favor: to favor an enterprise.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nearby words

favicon, favid, favism, favonian, favonius, favor, favorable, favorance, favored, favoredly, favorite

Idioms

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

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.

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

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.

Also especially British, fa·vour.

Origin of favor

1250–1300; Middle English favo(u)r < Anglo-French, Old French < Latin favōr- (stem of favor) goodwill, equivalent to fav(ēre) to be favorably inclined + -ōr- -or¹

SYNONYMS 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.

5 present.

10 approve, countenance, sanction.

12 encourage, patronize.

15 help, assist.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR favor ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR favor

2 animosity, malice.

10 disapprove.

SEE MORE ANTONYMS FOR favor ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formsfa·vor·er, nouno·ver·fa·vor, verb (used with object)pre·fa·vor, noun, verb (used with object)un·fa·vor·ing, adjective

Examples from the Web for favoring

Garrett is currently at only 48 percent and this is a year favoring Republicans nationwide.
Red Sweep? Maybe, but One Tea Party Incumbent Is in Trouble|Dean Obeidallah|October 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Instead, we see a host of issues of concern, most favoring Democrats.
Biggest Midterm Issue? The Obamaphant in the Living Room|Dean Obeidallah|September 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
To have turned down the Russian initiative would have appeared like favoring war over peace.
The History and Logic of Military Ultimatums, From Suez to Crimea|Jacob Siegel|March 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For instance, preventing Comcast from favoring streaming capabilities for NBC, which it owns, over CBS, Fox, and ABC.
Up To Speed: Here is Everything You Need to Know About The Recent Blow to Net Neutrality|William O’Connor|January 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Repeatedly, de Blasio said Lhota was borrowing a page “from the Republican playbook” and favoring “trickle-down economics.”
New York City Mayoral Debate Features Strong Sparring but No Knockout|David Freedlander|October 16, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Fortune was favoring Erskine, and Woodby's lighter men were slower and slower in finding their positions after each pile-up.
Behind the Line|Ralph Henry Barbour
Some of them went so far as to become anarchists, favoring a continuance of disorder until the world joined China in collapse.
Government in Republican China|Paul Myron Anthony Linebarger
With a favoring tail wind, the 212pilots west of Cheyenne kept the average at better than 190 miles an hour, including stops.
Jane Stewardess of the Air Lines|Ruthe S. Wheeler
The anchors were raised, the sails were spread, and a favoring breeze pressed them rapidly over the waves toward the setting sun.
Hernando Cortez|John S. C. Abbott
Favoring moisture had covered the islet with an exuberant undergrowth.
The Torrent|Vicente Blasco Ibaez

Word Origin and History for favoring (1 of 2)

favor

c.1300, "attractiveness, charm," from Old French favor (13c., Modern French faveur) "favor, approval, partiality," from Latin favorem (nominative favor) "good will, inclination, partiality, support," coined by Cicero from stem of favere "to show kindness to," from PIE *ghow-e- "to honor, revere, worship." Meaning "act of kindness" is from late 14c. Meaning "thing given as a mark of favor" is from 1580s. Phrase in favor of recorded from 1560s.

Word Origin and History for favoring (1 of 2)

favor

"to regard with favor, indulge, treat with partiality," mid-14c., from Old French favorer, from favor (see favor (n.)). Related: Favored; favoring.

Idioms and Phrases with favoring

favor

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

favor

noun

verb (used with object)

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Word Origin and History for favoring (1 of 2)

favor

Word Origin and History for favoring (1 of 2)

favor

Idioms and Phrases with favoring

favor

favor

.css-1gxch3{color:#1a1a1a;font-size:18px;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;}noun

verb (used with object)

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Word Origin and History for.css-ylq2vz{color:#1a1a1a;} favoring (1 of 2)

favor

Word Origin and History for favoring (1 of 2)

favor

Idioms and Phrases with favoring

favor

noun

Word Origin and History for favoring (1 of 2)