for
[fawr; unstressed fer]
- with the object or purpose of: to run for exercise.
- intended to belong to, or be used in connection with: equipment for the army; a closet for dishes.
- suiting the purposes or needs of: medicine for the aged.
- in order to obtain, gain, or acquire: a suit for alimony; to work for wages.
- (used to express a wish, as of something to be experienced or obtained): O, for a cold drink!
- sensitive or responsive to: an eye for beauty.
- desirous of: a longing for something; a taste for fancy clothes.
- in consideration or payment of; in return for: three for a dollar; to be thanked for one's efforts.
- appropriate or adapted to: a subject for speculation; clothes for winter.
- with regard or respect to: pressed for time; too warm for April.
- during the continuance of: for a long time.
- in favor of; on the side of: to be for honest government.
- in place of; instead of: a substitute for butter.
- in the interest of; on behalf of: to act for a client.
- in exchange for; as an offset to: blow for blow; money for goods.
- in punishment of: payment for the crime.
- in honor of: to give a dinner for a person.
- with the purpose of reaching: to start for London.
- contributive to: for the advantage of everybody.
- in order to save: to flee for one's life.
- in order to become: to train recruits for soldiers.
- in assignment or attribution to: an appointment for the afternoon; That's for you to decide.
- such as to allow of or to require: too many for separate mention.
- such as results in: his reason for going.
- as affecting the interests or circumstances of: bad for one's health.
- in proportion or with reference to: He is tall for his age.
- in the character of; as being: to know a thing for a fact.
- by reason of; because of: to shout for joy; a city famed for its beauty.
- in spite of: He's a decent guy for all that.
- to the extent or amount of: to walk for a mile.
- (used to introduce a subject in an infinitive phrase): It's time for me to go.
- (used to indicate the number of successes out of a specified number of attempts): The batter was 2 for 4 in the game.
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- seeing that; since.
- because.
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- for it, British. in(def 32).
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Origin of for
before 900; Middle English, Old English; cognate with Old Saxon for; akin to fore1, Latin per through, Greek pró before, ahead
Synonym study
33. See because.
for-
- a prefix meaning “away,” “off,” “to the uttermost,” “extremely,” “wrongly,” or imparting a negative or privative force, occurring in verbs and nouns formed from verbs of Old or Middle English origin, many of which are now obsolete or archaic: forbid; forbear; forswear; forbearance.
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Origin of for-
Middle English, Old English; compare German ver-, Greek peri-, Latin per-
for.
For.
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F.O.R.
or f.o.r.
- free on rails.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
for
- intended to reach; directed or belonging tothere's a phone call for you
- to the advantage ofI only did it for you
- in the direction ofheading for the border
- over a span of (time or distance)working for six days; the river ran for six miles
- in favour of; in support ofthose for the proposal; vote for me
- in order to get or achieveI do it for money; he does it for pleasure; what did you do that for?
- appropriate to; designed to meet the needs of; meant to be used inthese kennels are for puppies
- in exchange for; at a cost of; to the amount ofI got it for hardly any money
- such as explains or results inhis reason for changing his job was not given
- in place ofa substitute for the injured player
- because of; throughshe wept for pure relief
- with regard or consideration to the usual characteristics ofhe's short for a man; it's cool for this time of year
- concerning; as regardsdesire for money
- as beingwe took him for the owner; I know that for a fact
- at a specified timea date for the next evening
- to do or partake ofan appointment for supper
- in the duty or task ofthat's for him to say
- to allow oftoo big a job for us to handle
- despite; notwithstandingshe's a good wife, for all her nagging
- in order to preserve, retain, etcto fight for survival
- as a direct equivalent toword for word; weight for weight
- in order to become or enterto go for a soldier; to train for the priesthood
- in recompense forI paid for it last week; he took the punishment for his crime
- for it British informal liable for punishment or blameyou'll be for it if she catches you
- nothing for it no choice; no other course
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- (coordinating) for the following reason; because; seeing thatI couldn't stay, for the area was violent
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Word Origin
Old English; related to Old Norse fyr for, Old High German fora before, Latin per through, prō before, Greek pro before, in front
for-
- indicating rejection or prohibitionforbear; forbid
- indicating falsity or wrongnessforswear
- used to give intensive forceforgive; forlorn
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Word Origin
Old English for-; related to German ver-, Latin per-, Greek peri-
f.o.r.
FOR
- free on rail
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for for
prep.
Old English for "for, before, on account of," from Proto-Germanic *fura (cf. Old Saxon furi "before," Old Frisian for, Middle Dutch vore, Dutch voor "for, before;" German für "for;" Danish for "for," før "before;" Gothic faur "for," faura "before"); see fore (adv.).
Use of for and fore gradually was differentiated in Middle English. Its use alone as a conjunction (not found before 12c.) probably is a shortening of common Old English phrases such as for þon þy "therefore," literally "for the (reason) that."
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for-
prefix usually meaning "away, opposite, completely," from Old English for-, indicating loss or destruction, or completion, also used as an intensive or pejorative element, which is related to Old Norse for-, Dutch ver-, Old High German fir-, German ver-; from PIE *pr-, from root *per- (1) "forward, through" (see per). Probably originally in Germanic with a sense of "forward, forth," but with complex sense developments in the various languages. Ultimately from the same root as fore (adv.).
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Idioms and Phrases with for
for
In addition to the idioms beginning with for
- for a change
- for all
- for all intents and purposes
- for all one is worth
- for all that
- for all the world
- for a loop
- for a song
- for a wonder
- for better or for worse
- for certain
- for chicken feed
- for crying out loud
- for days on end
- for dear life
- fore and aft
- for example
- for fear of
- for free
- for fun
- for God's sake
- for good
- for good measure
- for heaven's sake
- for keeps
- for love or money
- for one
- for one's money
- for one's pains
- for one's part
- for one's sake
- for one thing
- for openers
- for Pete's sake
- for real
- for shame
- for short
- for show
- for starters
- for sure
- for that matter
- for the asking
- for the best
- for the birds
- for the hell of it
- for the life of one
- for the love of
- for the moment
- for the most part
- for the present
- for the record
- for the sake of
- for the time being
- for two cents
- for what it's worth
also see:
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The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.