• (America) IPA: /ˈfeɪvɚ/
• (British) IPA: /ˈfeɪvə/

favor (American spelling, alternative in Canada)

1. A kind or helpful deed; an instance of voluntarily assisting (someone).

   He did me a favor when he took the time to drive me home.

2. Goodwill; benevolent regard.

   She enjoyed the queen's favor.

   to fall out of favor

3. A small gift; a party favor.

   At the holiday dinner, the hosts had set a favor by each place setting.

   A marriage favour is a bunch or knot of white ribbons or white flowers worn at a wedding.

   • ca. 1599, William Shakespeare, Henry V, Act IV, sc. 7:

     Here, Fluellen; wear thou this favour for me and

     stick it in thy cap: when Alencon and myself were

     down together, I plucked this glove from his helm […]

   • 1848, William Makepeace Thackery, Vanity Fair, Chapter 22:

     The rain drove into the bride and bridegroom's faces as they passed to the chariot. The postilions' favours draggled on their dripping jackets.

4. Mildness or mitigation of punishment; lenity.
   • 1726 October 27, [Jonathan Swift], chapter 7, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. In Four Parts. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume I, London: Printed for Benj[amin] Motte, […], OCLC 995220039 ↗, part I (A Voyage to Lilliput):

     I could not discover the lenity and favour of this sentence.

5. The object of regard; person or thing favoured.
   • 1667, John Milton, “Book 3”, in Paradise Lost. A Poem Written in Ten Books, London: Printed [by Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […] [a]nd by Robert Boulter […] [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], OCLC 228722708 ↗; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: The Text Exactly Reproduced from the First Edition of 1667: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, OCLC 230729554 ↗:

     All these his wondrous works, but chiefly man, / His chief delight and favour.

6. (obsolete) Appearance; look; countenance; face.
   • c. 1598–1600, William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act IV, scene ii]:

     This boy is fair, of female favour.

7. (legal) Partiality; bias.
8. (archaic) A letter, a written communication.
   • 1748, Samuel Richardson, Clarissa, Letter 68:

     I will now take some notice of your last favour; but being so far behind-hand with you, must be brief.

9. (obsolete) Anything worn publicly as a pledge of a woman's favor.
10. (obsolete, in the plural) Lovelocks.

• disfavor
• discriminate
• discrimination
• harm
• sabotage

• aid
• help
• lend a hand
• token

• French: faveur
• German: Gefallen, Gefälligkeit
• Italian: favore
• Portuguese: favor
• Russian: услу́га
• Spanish: favor

• German: Gunst, Gnade, Huld
• Russian: расположе́ние
• Spanish: favor

favor (favors, present participle favoring; past and past participle favored) (US, alternative in Canada, transitive)

1. To look upon fondly; to prefer.
   • 1611, Luke 1:28, King James version

     And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

   • 2007, Bert Casper, Shadow Upon the Dream: Book 1: Barrûn, page 537:

     […] alone, without having to favor his right, uninjured leg, […]

2. To do a favor [noun sense 1] for; to show beneficence toward.

   Would you favor us with a poetry reading?

3. To treat with care.

   Favoring your sore leg will only injure the other one.

4. (in dialects, including, Southern US and Cajun) To resemble, to look like (another person).
   • 1970, Donald Harington (writer), Lightning Bug:

     ‘Mandy?’ he said, and stared at the girl. ‘Don't favor her too much.’ ‘Favors her dad,’ Latha said, and looked at him.

• disfavor
• discriminate

• French: favoriser
• German: begünstigen
• Portuguese: favorecer
• Russian: благоволи́ть
• Spanish: preferir, favorecer

1. Surname