Webster's English Dictionary

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favor

1. fa.vor or fa.vour \'fa--v*r\ n [ME, friendly regard, attractiveness, fr. 
   OF favor friendly regard, fr. L] chiefly Brit , fr. fave-re to be 
   favorable; akin to OHG gouma attention, OSlav govehachek>ti to revere 
   archaic  1a: APPEARANCE  1b1: COUNTENANCE  1b2: a facial feature  2a1: 
   friendly regard shown toward another esp. by a superior  2a2: APPROVAL, 
   APPROBATION  2b: PARTIALITY  archaic  2c: LENIENCY  archaic  2d: PERMISSION 
    2e: POPULARITY  3a: gracious kindness; also : an act of such kindness  
   archaic  3b: HELP, ASSISTANCE  pl  3c: effort in one's behalf or interest : 
   ATTENTION  4a: a token of love (as a ribbon) usu. worn conspicuously  4b: a 
   small gift or decorative item given out at a party  4c: BADGE  5a: a 
   special privilege or right granted or conceded  5b: sexual privileges - 
   usu. used in pl.  archaic  6: LETTER  7: BEHALF, INTEREST terest and usu. 
   implies partiality or preference; GOODWILL implies positive friendliness 
   and a willingness to contribute to the success or welfare of a person, 
   group, or cause; COUNTENANCE stresses approval or sanction but does not 
   necessarily imply helpfulness or friendliness 1a: in accord or sympathy 
   with  1b: for the acquittal of  1c: in support of  2: to the order of  - in 
   favor of  SYN syn GOODWILL, COUNTENANCE: FAVOR suggests an active in 
2. favor or favour \'fa-v-(*-)rin\ \'fa--v*r-*r\ vt or fa.vor.ing chiefly 
   Brit  1a: to regard or treat with favor  1b1: to do a kindness for : OBLIGE 
    1b2: ENDOW  1c: to treat gently or carefully : SPARE  2: to show 
   partiality toward : PREFER  3a: to give support or confirmation to : 
   SUSTAIN  3b: to afford advantages for success to : FACILITATE  4: to bear a 
   resemblance to  - fa.vor.er n