Webster's English Dictionary

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for

1. for \f*r, (')fo.(*)r\ pp [ME, fr. OE; akin to L per through, prae 
   before, pro before,]for, ahead, Gk pro, OE faran to go - more at FARE 1a: - 
   used as a function word to indicate purpose {money ~ study ing} 1b: - used 
   as a function word to indicate an intended destination {lef t ~ home} 1c: - 
   used as a function word to indicate the object toward which one's  desire 
   or activity is directed {now ~ a good rest} 2a: as being : AS {take him ~ a 
   fool}  2b: - used as a function word to indicate an actual or implied 
   enumerati on or selection {~ one thing, the price is too high} 3: because 
   of {cried ~ joy}  4a: - used as a function word to indicate a recipient (as 
   of an action t hat fills a need) 4b: in support of {fighting ~ their 
   country}  4c: - used as a function word to indicate appropriateness or 
   belonging <(medicine ~ a cold} 4d: - used as a function word with a 
   following noun or pronoun to introd uce an infinitive construction 
   equivalent to such noun clauses as that he should, that he might {shouted 
   the news ~ all to hear} 5a: in place of  5b: in exchange as the equivalent 
   of {paid $10 ~ a hat}  5c: on behalf of : REPRESENTING  6: in spite of  7: 
   CONCERNING {a stickler ~ detail}  8: - used as a function word to indicate 
   equality or proportion {point  ~ point} {tall ~ his age} 9: - used as a 
   function word to indicate duration of time or extent of s pace 10: in honor 
   of : AFTER 
2. for cj : for this reason or on this ground