D defs.my
Entry 13 senses · 2 variants Webster, 1913

favor

/(fā"vẽr)/ · fa·vor · IPA /ˈfeɪ.vɚ/
01 n. Kind regard; propitious aspect; countenance; friendly disposition; kindness; good will.
  1. 1.
    Kind regard; propitious aspect; countenance; friendly disposition; kindness; good will.
    “Hath crawled into the favor of the king.” Shak.
  2. 2.
    The act of countenancing, or the condition of being countenanced, or regarded propitiously; support; promotion; befriending.
    “But found no favor in his lady's eyes.” Dryden.
    “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” — Luke ii. 52.
  3. 3.
    A kind act or office; kindness done or granted; benevolence shown by word or deed; an act of grace or good will, as distinct from justice or remuneration.
    “Beg one favor at thy gracious hand.” Shak.
  4. 4.
    Mildness or mitigation of punishment; lenity.
    “I could not discover the lenity and favor of this sentence.” Swift.
  5. 5.
    The object of regard; person or thing favored.
    “All these his wondrous works, but chiefly man, His chief delight and favor.” Milton.
  6. 6.
    A gift or present; something bestowed as an evidence of good will; a token of love; a knot of ribbons; something worn as a token of affection; as, a marriage favor is a bunch or knot of white ribbons or white flowers worn at a wedding.
    “Wear thou this favor for me, and stick it in thy cap.” Shak.
  7. 7.
    Appearance; look; countenance; face.[Obs.]
    “This boy is fair, of female favor.” Shak.
  8. 8.
    Partiality; bias.(Law)
  9. 9.
    A letter or epistle; -- so called in civility or compliment; as, your favor of yesterday is received.
  10. 10.
    Love locks.[Obs.]
    “But, with your favor, I will treat it here.” Dryden.
Phrases & compounds
Challenge to the favor — the challenge of a juror on grounds not sufficient to constitute a principal challenge, but sufficient to give rise to a probable suspicion of favor or bias, such as acquaintance, business relation, etc. See Principal challenge, under Challenge.
In favor of — upon the side of; favorable to; for the advantage of.
In favor with — favored, countenanced, or encouraged by.
To curry favor — to seek to gain favor by flattery, caresses, kindness, or officious civilities.
With one's favor — with leave; by kind permission.
02 v. t. To regard with kindness; to support; to aid, or to have the disposition to aid, or to wish success to; to be propitious to; to treat with c…
imp. & p. p. Favored; p. pr. & vb. n. Favoring
  1. 1.
    To regard with kindness; to support; to aid, or to have the disposition to aid, or to wish success to; to be propitious to; to treat with consideration or tenderness; to show partiality or unfair bias towards.
    “O happy youth! and favored of the skies.” Pope.
    “He that favoreth Joab, . . . let him go after Joab.” — 2 Sam. xx. 11.
    “[The painter] has favored her squint admirably.” Swift.
  2. 2.
    To afford advantages for success to; to facilitate; as, a weak place favored the entrance of the enemy.
  3. 3.
    To resemble in features; to have the aspect or looks of; as, the child favors his father.
    “The porter owned that the gentleman favored his master.” — Spectator.