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

One student, Favour Eke, told BBC Igbo that 10 of the 165 questions didn't appear on the screen - all she could see was the multiple choice options for the answers.

From BBC • May 15, 2025

After years of battling with her energy supplier over a non-existent debt, Favour Asante has finally had an apology and the full amount written off.

From BBC • Feb. 8, 2024

As Scottish Power did not receive any monthly payments from Favour they continued to think she owed them money, despite accepting her top-up payments.

From BBC • Feb. 8, 2024

Favour Ben, 29, who owns a food business in the capital, Abuja, said she was was backing third-party candidate Peter Obi.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 25, 2023

I took great Care therefore to see them all, to desire them to speak in my Favour.

From The Memoirs of Charles-Lewis, Baron de Pollnitz, Volume IV Being the Observations He Made in His Late Travels from Prussia thro' Germany, Italy, France, Flanders, Holland, England, &C. in Letters to His Friend. Discovering Not Only the Present State of the Chief Cities and Towns; but the Characters of the Principal Persons at the Several Courts. by P?llnitz, Karl Ludwig von