Definition of favor

< favonian

favorable >

fa·vor    (fvr) KEY 

NOUN:

1. A gracious, friendly, or obliging act that is freely granted: do someone a favor.
2. 1. Friendly or favorable regard; approval or support: won the favor of the monarch; looked with favor on the plan.
   2. A state of being held in such regard: a style currently in favor.
3. Unfair partiality; favoritism.
4. 1. A privilege or concession.
   2. favors Sexual privileges, especially as granted by a woman.
5. 1. Something given as a token of love, affection, or remembrance.
   2. A small decorative gift given to each guest at a party.
6. Advantage; benefit: sailed under favor of cloudless skies.
7. Behalf; interest: an error in our favor.
8. Obsolete A communication, especially a letter.
9. Archaic
   1. Aspect or appearance.
   2. Countenance; face.
10. Obsolete A facial feature.

VERB:
fa·vored, fa·vor·ing, fa·vors
VERB:
tr.

1. To perform a kindness or service for; oblige. See Synonyms at oblige.
2. To treat or regard with friendship, approval, or support.
3. To be partial to; indulge a liking for: favors bright colors.
4. To be or tend to be in support of.
5. To make easier or more possible; facilitate: Darkness favored their escape.
6. To treat with care; be gentle with: favored my wounded leg.
7. Chiefly Southern U.S. To resemble in appearance: She favors her father.

VERB:
intr.
Chiefly Southern U.S.

To resemble another in appearance: She and her father favor.

IDIOM:
in favor of

1. In support of; approving: We are in favor of her promotion to president.
2. To the advantage of: The court decided in favor of the plaintiff.
3. Inscribed or made out to the benefit of: a check in favor of a charity.

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ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English, from Old French, from Latin, from favre, to be favorable

OTHER FORMS:
favor·er(Noun), favor·ing·ly(Adverb)
Regional Note:
When a Southerner favors a relative, he or she is not giving that person special privileges; rather, the Southerner looks like that relative. Favor can be either transitiveShe favors her fatheror intransitive with a compound subject: She and her father favor. This sense of favor goes back to early modern English: "This young lord Chamont/Favors my mother" (Ben Jonson). The verb derives from the noun favor, which was used from the 15th to the 19th century to mean "appearance, aspect; the countenance, face": "What makes thy favor like the bloodless head/Fall'n on the block?" (Tennyson). This sense of the noun is now archaic, but the verb thrives in the English of the Southern United States.