FAVOUR

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does favour mean? 

• FAVOUR (noun)
  The noun FAVOUR has 5 senses:

1. a feeling of favorable regard

2. an inclination to approve

3. an advantage to the benefit of someone or something

4. souvenir consisting of a small gift given to a guest at a party

5. an act of gracious kindness

  Familiarity information: FAVOUR used as a noun is common.

• FAVOUR (verb)
  The verb FAVOUR has 4 senses:

1. treat gently or carefully

2. bestow a privilege upon

3. promote over another

4. consider as the favorite

  Familiarity information: FAVOUR used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FAVOUR (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A feeling of favorable regard

Classified under:

Nouns denoting feelings and emotions

Synonyms:

favor; favour

Hypernyms ("favour" is a kind of...):

approval (a feeling of liking something or someone good)

Derivation:

favour (promote over another)

favour (bestow a privilege upon)

favour (treat gently or carefully)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An inclination to approve

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

favor; favour

Context example:

that style is in favor this season

Hypernyms ("favour" is a kind of...):

disposition; inclination; tendency (an attitude of mind especially one that favors one alternative over others)

Sense 3

Meaning:

An advantage to the benefit of someone or something

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

favor; favour

Context example:

the outcome was in his favor

Hypernyms ("favour" is a kind of...):

advantage; vantage (the quality of having a superior or more favorable position)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Souvenir consisting of a small gift given to a guest at a party

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

favor; favour; party favor; party favour

Hypernyms ("favour" is a kind of...):

keepsake; relic; souvenir; token (something of sentimental value)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "favour"):

cracker; cracker bonbon; snapper (a party favor consisting of a paper roll (usually containing candy or a small favor) that pops when pulled at both ends)

Sense 5

Meaning:

An act of gracious kindness

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

favor; favour

Hypernyms ("favour" is a kind of...):

benignity; kindness (a kind act)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "favour"):

good turn; turn (a favor for someone)

Derivation:

favour (bestow a privilege upon)

• FAVOUR (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they favour    ... he / she / it favours   
Past simple: favoured   
Past participle: favoured   
-ing form: favouring   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Treat gently or carefully

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

favor; favour

Hypernyms (to "favour" is one way to...):

save; spare (refrain from harming)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Derivation:

favour (a feeling of favorable regard)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Bestow a privilege upon

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

favor; favour; privilege

Hypernyms (to "favour" is one way to...):

allow; countenance; let; permit (consent to, give permission)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

They favour him to write the letter

Derivation:

favour (an act of gracious kindness)

favour (a feeling of favorable regard)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Promote over another

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

favor; favour; prefer

Context example:

he favors his second daughter

Hypernyms (to "favour" is one way to...):

advance; elevate; kick upstairs; promote; raise; upgrade (give a promotion to or assign to a higher position)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "favour"):

advantage (give an advantage to)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence examples:

Sam cannot favour Sue
The chefs favour the vegetables

Derivation:

favour (a feeling of favorable regard)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Consider as the favorite

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

favor; favour

Context example:

The local team was favored

Hypernyms (to "favour" is one way to...):

consider; reckon; regard; see; view (deem to be)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

 Context examples 

Mrs. Weston was acting no part, feigning no feelings in all that she said to him in favour of the event.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

‘In the case of another,’ said he, ‘the objection might be fatal, but we must stretch a point in favour of a man with such a head of hair as yours.’

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It was I who was now favoured by a quick look.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

It has everything else in its favour.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

But greatest of all the advantages in White Fang's favour, was his experience.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

She thought it could scarcely escape him to feel that a persuadable temper might sometimes be as much in favour of happiness as a very resolute character.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

I don’t think I have had the pleasure of seeing you since you favoured me with those attentions as I lay on the ledge above the Reichenbach Fall.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

No, sir; I am not on such terms with my relatives as would justify me in asking favours of them—but I shall advertise.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

She received my attentions with favour; but whether on my account solely, or because she had any designs on Red Whisker, I can't say.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

And if Catherine had not most warmly asserted his innocence, it seemed likely that William would lose the favour of his master forever, if not his place, by her rapidity.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)