Library / English Dictionary

FAVOR

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

An act of gracious kindness

Synonyms:

favor; favour

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("favor" is a kind of...):

benignity; kindness (a kind act)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "favor"):

good turn; turn (a favor for someone)

Derivation:

favor (treat gently or carefully)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Souvenir consisting of a small gift given to a guest at a party

Synonyms:

favor; favour; party favor; party favour

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("favor" is a kind of...):

keepsake; relic; souvenir; token (something of sentimental value)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "favor"):

cracker; cracker bonbon; snapper (a party favor consisting of a paper roll (usually containing candy or a small favor) that pops when pulled at both ends)

Sense 3

Meaning:

An advantage to the benefit of someone or something

Example:

the outcome was in his favor

Synonyms:

favor; favour

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("favor" is a kind of...):

advantage; vantage (the quality of having a superior or more favorable position)

Derivation:

favor (consider as the favorite)

Sense 4

Meaning:

An inclination to approve

Example:

that style is in favor this season

Synonyms:

favor; favour

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("favor" is a kind of...):

disposition; inclination; tendency (an attitude of mind especially one that favors one alternative over others)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A feeling of favorable regard

Synonyms:

favor; favour

Classified under:

Nouns denoting feelings and emotions

Hypernyms ("favor" is a kind of...):

approval (a feeling of liking something or someone good)

Derivation:

favor (consider as the favorite)

favor (promote over another)

favor (bestow a privilege upon)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Consider as the favorite

Example:

The local team was favored

Synonyms:

favor; favour

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "favor" is one way to...):

consider; reckon; regard; see; view (deem to be)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

favor (an advantage to the benefit of someone or something)

favor (a feeling of favorable regard)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Promote over another

Example:

he favors his second daughter

Synonyms:

favor; favour; prefer

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "favor" is one way to...):

advance; elevate; kick upstairs; promote; raise; upgrade (give a promotion to or assign to a higher position)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "favor"):

advantage (give an advantage to)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence examples:

Sam cannot favor Sue

The chefs favor the vegetables

Derivation:

favor (a feeling of favorable regard)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Bestow a privilege upon

Synonyms:

favor; favour; privilege

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "favor" is one way to...):

allow; countenance; let; permit (consent to, give permission)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

They favor him to write the letter

Derivation:

favor (a feeling of favorable regard)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Treat gently or carefully

Synonyms:

favor; favour

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "favor" is one way to...):

save; spare (refrain from harming)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sentence example:

Sam cannot favor Sue

Derivation:

favor (an act of gracious kindness)

Credits

 Context examples: 

CHAI Foundation finds and funds credentialed researchers who are under funded because their theories do not fit into the mold of current group-think or who are overlooked in favor of younger researchers.

(CHAI Foundation, NCI Thesaurus)

In 2016, Hubble observations also did not find evidence for hydrogen atmospheres in c and d. These results and the new ones, instead, favor more compact atmospheres like those of Earth, Venus and Mars.

(New Clues to TRAPPIST-1 Planet Compositions, Atmospheres, NASA)

It grows faster when nutrient conditions are favorable, and when its internal clock ticks in favor of reproduction.

(Satellites Find Biggest Seaweed Bloom in the World, NASA)

An international team led by researchers at the Marseille Astrophysics Laboratory (CNRS/Aix-Marseille Université) has determined the planet’s dimensions and properties of its surface, which actually favor its habitability.

(Planet Orbiting Nearest Star Could be Habitable, NASA)

Highly mobile foragers appear to favor turbulent areas because these locations contain particularly abundant food sources.

(Galapagos sea life study highlights importance of biodiversity in the face of climate change, National Science Foundation)

Using these deep learning tools in unique ways will provide additional insight into the conditions that favor large hail, improving model predictions.

(Facial recognition technique could improve hail forecasts, National Science Foundation)

B-DNA is the most common DNA conformation in vivo and the favored conformation at high water concentrations.

(B-DNA, NCI Thesaurus)

A-DNA is the favored conformation at low water concentrations.

(A-DNA, NCI Thesaurus)

I don't like favors, they oppress and make me feel like a slave.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

A majority of the men who had witnessed the making of the bet decided in his favor, whereat the odds went up to three to one against Buck.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)