Favour
[feivә]
Definition
n. countenance: good-will: a kind deed: an act of grace or lenity: indulgence: partiality: advantage: a knot of ribbons worn at a wedding or anything worn publicly as a pledge of a woman's favour: (arch.) countenance appearance: a letter or written communication: (Shak.) an attraction or grace.—v.t. to regard with good-will: to be on the side of: to treat indulgently: to afford advantage to: (coll.) to resemble.—adj. Fā′vourable friendly: propitious: conducive to: advantageous.—n. Fā′vourableness.—adv. Fā′vourably.—p.adj. Fā′voured having a certain appearance featured—as in ill-favoured well-favoured.—ns. Fā′vouredness; Fā′vourer; Fā′vourite a person or thing regarded with favour or preference: one unduly loved: a kind of curl of the hair affected by ladies of the 18th century.—adj. esteemed preferred.—n. Fā′vouritism the practice of showing partiality.—adj. Fā′vourless without favour: (Spens.) not favouring.—Favours to come favours still expected; Curry favour (see Curry).
Typist: Ted
Examples
- I thank you for your ingenious paper in favour of the trees. Benjamin Franklin. Memoirs of Benjamin Franklin.
- But I think their withdrawing is in your favour. Charles Dickens. A Tale of Two Cities.
- God was the loving father of all life, as incapable of showing favour as the universal sun. H. G. Wells. The Outline of History_Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind.
- I got him back for you by means of the girl; and then _she_ begins to favour him. Charles Dickens. Oliver Twist.
- I thank you for my share of the favour, said Elizabeth; but I do not particularly like your way of getting husbands. Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice.
- I made my humble acknowledgments to his highness for so great a favour. Jonathan Swift. Gulliver's Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World.
- It is not for myself that I pray this favour, said Rebecca; nor is it even for that poor old man. Walter Scott. Ivanhoe.
- A happy circumstance for France, as the like always is for all countries similarly favoured! Charles Dickens. A Tale of Two Cities.
- A clear air favoured the kindling of the stars. Charlotte Bronte. Shirley.
- But it IS supposed that his Lady, who had none of the family blood in her veins, favoured the bad cause. Charles Dickens. Bleak House.
- What I did mean to say, was, that I never expected to retain my favoured place in this family, after Fortune shed her beams upon it. Charles Dickens. Our Mutual Friend.
- I don't exactly know,' said Mr. Bounderby, 'how I come to be favoured with the attendance of the present company, but I don't inquire. Charles Dickens. Hard Times.
- It must be played--in went the yearned-for seasoning--thus favoured, I played it with relish. Charlotte Bronte. Villette.
- Among them, Henry De Roos was the most favoured. Harriette Wilson. The Memoirs of Harriette Wilson.
- A man that is ungrateful to his benefactor, in a manner affirms, that he never received any favours from him. David Hume. A Treatise of Human Nature.
- Accept my kind offices to thy other children as the only return in my power for thy continual favours to me. Benjamin Franklin. Memoirs of Benjamin Franklin.
- You have noticed, perhaps, whom he favours with his attentions? Charles Dickens. Our Mutual Friend.
- It is the greatest of favours when Miss de Bourgh comes in. Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice.
- A group of humble mourners entered the gate: wearing white favours; for the corpse was young. Charles Dickens. Oliver Twist.
- It was all right: at present I decidedly preferred these fierce favours to anything more tender. Charlotte Bronte. Jane Eyre.
- My position, Miss Eyre, with my back to the fire, and my face to the room, favours observation. Charlotte Bronte. Jane Eyre.
- By favouring this clandestine escape he preserves a shew of consistency to his followers; but mercy is far from his heart. Mary Shelley. The Last Man.
- But this could be done only by adopting, or, at least, by favouring the tenets of that particular sect. Adam Smith. An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations.
- You injured me before my marriage, and you have now suspected me of secretly favouring another man for money! Thomas Hardy. The Return of the Native.
- She blessed the favouring blindness. Jane Austen. Emma.
- I am not aware of your motive, Miss Wilson, for favouring me with this visit, said the duke. Harriette Wilson. The Memoirs of Harriette Wilson.
- Even the favouring country, therefore, may still gain by the trade, though less than if there was a free competition. Adam Smith. An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations.
Inputed by Carter