Showing results for "favour"

• a variation of favor.

favour

American  

[fey-ver] / ˈfeɪ vər /

noun

Chiefly British.

1. favor.

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favour British  

/ 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. to be approved of by someone

12. 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

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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

See -or ¹.

Other Word Forms

• favourer
  noun
• favouringly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of favour

C14: from Latin, from favēre to protect

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

favour

Natural midfielder Valentin Barco, who joined from Strasbourg in the summer, has been overlooked in favour of Gusto in all three of Chelsea's Premier League matches.

From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026

Both Heathrow and Gatwick, for example, have moved away from mandating minimum distances between incoming aircraft in favour of a system which continually calculates spacing times based on wind speeds and aircraft types.

From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026

However in a 2013 referendum, residents of the islands voted overwhelmingly to remain a British overseas territory - with 99.8% voting in favour and just three voting against.

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026

"The broad-based increase in energy prices -- not just transport fuel, but also gas and now even electricity -- is playing in hawks' favour," he said.

From Barron's ● Sep. 1, 2026

But let us come to the second instance, when a private citizen becomes prince of his native city not through wickedness or any other intolerable violence, but with the favour of his fellow citizens.

From "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli