Also 4–6 favore, favoure, (5–6 fawoure, favowre, 6 favower, faveour), 5–6 favyr, faver, 6 favur, (5 fawer, fayver), 9 dial. favver. [ME. favor, -our, a. OF. favor, -our (mod.F. faveur) = Pr. and Sp. favor, It. favore:—L. favōre-m, f. favēre to regard with goodwill, side with, show kindness to, protect. As in other words with the same ending, the spelling with -our is preferred in the British Isles, while in the U.S. -or is more common.]
1. Propitious or friendly regard, goodwill, esp. on the part of a superior or a multitude. To find favour in the eyes of (orig. a Hebraism): to gain the goodwill of. † Formerly also with a and plural: A liking, preference. † To have a favour to: to have a liking or regard for.
To curry favour: corruption of to curry Favel; see CURRY v. 5 b, and FAVEL sb. 2.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter, xxiv. 3. Þai doe wickidly, to get þaim þe fauour … of þis warld.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 434. & fals not þe gospel for favor of men.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 5418.
| To the Mirmydouns his men, þat mekill ioy hade, | |
| And fayuer of þat fre, þen any folke ellis. |
1526. Tindale, 1 Cor. xvi. 23. The favoure of the lorde Jesus Christ be with you all.
1535. Coverdale, Ps. xliii[iv]. 3. Thou haddest a fauoure vnto them. [So in 1611.]
1551. Robinson, trans. More’s Utop., I. (Arb.), 56. An other woulde haue the fauoure of the Swychers wonne with money.
1584. Powel, Lloyd’s Cambria, 94. To procure him the Kings Fauour.
1601. Shaks., Twel. N., I. iv. 7. Is he inconstant sir, in his fauours.
1611. Bible, Esther v. 8. I haue found fauour in the sight of the king.
1641. Dk. Hamilton, in H. Papers (Camden), 106. Your Maty, and of whose goodnesse and favour I have had soe manie and reall testimonyes.
1700. Dryden, Theodore and Honoria, 17.
| He liv’d with all the pomp he could devise, | |
| At tilts and tournaments obtain’d the prize; | |
| But found no favour in his lady’s eyes. |
1781. Gibbon, Decl. & F., III. 247. Such assiduous zeal secured the favour of the saint.
1807. Crabbe, Hall of Just., 74. His favour was my bliss and pride.
1823. Scott, Quentin D., x. His young Life-guardsman, for whom he seemed to have taken a special favour.
1838. Thirlwall, Greece, V. 309. The oration … opens with a congratulation on the favour of heaven.
1866. G. Macdonald, Ann. Q. Neighb., xiii. (1878), 271–2. I felt not only that there would be a propriety in her taking a personal interest in the matter, but that it would do her good, and tend to create a favour toward each other in some of my flock between whom at present there seemed to be nothing in common.
b. Approving disposition towards a thing; inclination to commend, sanction, or adopt.
1827. Pollok, Course T., IX. 521.
| Philosophy, the theoretic, claimed, | |
| Undoubtedly, the first and highest place | |
| In Fancy’s favour. |
1862. H. Marryat, Year in Sweden, II. 247. St. Brita’s onion found so great favour in their sight, the milk and butter to the present day suffer from its flavour.
1884. Bosanquet, trans. Lotze’s Metaphysic, 154. The difficulties involved in Hegel’s system of thought were then beginning to make themselves felt even by those who looked with favour on his enterprise—of repeating in thought by a constructive process the actual development of the world from the ground of the absolute.
c. Objectively. (To be, stand high, etc.) in a person’s favour: in his good graces. Also In, out of favour, to bring into favour, etc.
1514. Barclay, Cyt. & Uplondyshm. (Percy Soc.), p. xliii.
| Wherby in thy minde thou mayst suspect and trowe | |
| Him more in favour and in conceipt then thou. |
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 7 b. Familiar & great in fauour with prynces.
1548. [see FALL v. 38].
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 293. The king of Navarre … was out of the french kings favour.
1580. Baret, Alv., F 251. To bring one in fauour with a man, insinuare aliquem alteri.
1676. Lady Chaworth, in Hist. MSS. Comm., 12th Rep., App. v. 28. She is still highly in favour.
1688. Miege, Fr. Dict., s.v. Bring, I’ll bring you again into his favour.
1701. De Foe, True-born Eng., 1.
| Fools out of Favour grudge at Knaves in Place, | |
| And men are always honest in Disgrace. |
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 447. Rochester was the only member of the cabinet who stood high in the favour of the King.
1860. Adler, Fauriel’s Prov. Poetry, ii. 21. The various kinds of Provençal poetry were not in equal favor among the Castilians, nor were they productive of the same effect on their imagination.
1876. J. H. Newman, Hist. Sk., I. I. iv. 216. Whether as slaves, or as captives, or as mercenaries, they were taken into favour by the dominant nation, and employed as soldiers or civilians.
† d. The object of favour; a favourite. Obs.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VI. 413. Elfleda favour of citezeynes [L. favor civium] and drede of enemyes.
1667. Milton, P. L., III. 662.
| Unspeakable desire to see and know | |
| All these his wondrous works; but chiefly Man, | |
| His chief delight and favour. |
† e. The action of favouring; patronage of an object. Obs. rare–1.
1692. Temple, Ess. Anc. & Mod. Learn., in Misc., II. (ed. 3), 65. The favour of learning was the humour … of the age.
2. Exceptional kindness; gracious or friendly action due to special goodwill, and in excess of what may be ordinarily looked for. † For favour: out of goodwill, freely.
The envelope of a letter sent by hand occasionally bears the words ‘By favour of Mr. ——’ (the friend who conveys the letter).
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., A. 966.
| Bot of þe lombe I haue þe aquylde | |
| For a syȝt þer of þurȝ gret fauor. |
c. 1460. Fortescue, Abs. & Lim. Mon., vi. For the ffauour þat we do to the persones þat kepe ham, wich ffauoure þe Scottis do not.
1509. Fisher, Fun. Serm. C’tess Richmond, Wks. (1876), 299. The good deserueth … to haue fauoure shewed vnto them.
1580. Baret, Alv., F 251. For fauour, gratiosè.
1769. Phil. Trans., LIX. 188, note. A crocodile, which I lately saw by the favour of Mr. John Hunter.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., xxxviii. I have a friend … who will … do me so much favour.
b. An instance of this; something conceded, conferred, or done out of special grace or goodwill; an act of exceptional kindness, as opposed to one of duty or justice.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., I. i. 23.
| Doe me the fauour to dilate at full, | |
| What haue befalne of them and they till now. |
1608–11. Bp. Hall, Medit. & Vows, II. § 23. So shal I … accept of small favours with great thankfulnes.
1667. Anne Wyndham, King’s Concealm. (1681), 56. A Gentleman … desired the favour of him, that he would please to step forth.
1714. J. Fortescue-Aland, Pref. Fortescue’s Abs. & Lim. Mon., 39 He had extraordinary Favours shewn him from his Prince.
1780. Cowper, Table-t., 268. Religion, richest favour of the skies.
1814. D. H. O’Brien, Captiv. & Escape, 12–3. We were allowed to mix with the officers, though as a great favour.
1864. Tennyson, En. Ard., 284. I came to ask a favour of you.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), III. 309, The Republic, iv. I wish that you would do me the favour of considering temperance first.
c. A complimentary term for: Communication, letter. (Now, at least in England, almost confined to commercial correspondence.) Also explicitly in † the favour of your letter.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett., I. IV. viii. Since I was beholden to you for your many Favours in Oxford I have not heard from you.
1679. Pepys, Lett. to Dk. York, 9 June. The … excuse of my no earlier owning the favour of your Royal Highness’s, by Captain Sanders.
1706. Walsh, in Pope’s Lett. (1735), I. 56. At my return … I receiv’d the favour of your Letter.
1738. Franklin, Letter to Josiah Franklin, 13 April, Wks. 1887, I. 476. I have your favors of the 21st of March, in which you both seem concerned lest I have imbibed some erroneous opinions.
1751. T. Sharp, in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden), 374. Last post brought me the favour of yours of the 2d instt.
1786. T. Jefferson, Writ. (1859), II. 3. Your favor of June the 14th is come to hand.
1816. Scott, Lett. to Terry, 12 Nov., in Lockhart. I have been shockingly negligent in acknowledging your repeated favours.
1865. G. P. Marsh, in Longfellow’s Life (1891), III. 56. I received your favor of April 8.
d. Euphemistically. Formerly also The last favour (= Fr. les demières faveurs).
1676. Wycherley, Pl. Dealer, V. iii. She that granted you the last favour (as they call it) shou’d not deny you any thing.
1695. Congreve, Love for Love, III. xiv. You think it more dangerous to be seen in Conversation with me, than to allow some other Men the last Favour.
1824. Medwin, Convers. Byron (1832), I. 87. One who had bestowed her favours on many.
3. Kind indulgence.
a. Leave, permission, pardon. Chiefly in phrases, By, with (your, etc.) favour; by the favour of. Also, Under favour: with all submission, subject to correction. Obs. or arch.
1580. Baret, Alv., F 255. Sauing your displeasure … or, with your fauour.
1588. Shaks., Loves Labour’s Lost, III. i. 68.
| By thy fauour, sweet Welkin, I must sigh in thy face: | |
| Most rude melancholy, Valour gives thee place. |
1590. H. Swinburne, Testaments, 287. If the wife depart from her husband, without his good fauour, she loseth her legacy.
1611. B. Jonson, Cataline, I. i.
| With fauour, ’twere no losse, if’t might be enquir’d | |
| What the Condition of these Armes would be? |
1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., I. i. 168. Buck. Pray giue me fauour Sir.
1622. Callis, Stat. Sewers (1647), 21. Under the favor of these books.
1662. Stillingfl., Orig. Sacr., I. i. § 20 (ed. 3), 21. By the favour of so learned a man, it seems probable.
1699. Bentley, Phal., 135. Under favour, I say it’s an Anapæst, and the last of χόνιν may be long.
1700. Dryden, Cock & Fox. With your Favour, I will treat it here.
1750. G. Jeffreys, in Duncombe’s Letters (1773), II. 253. Under favour, poetical justice is so far from being ‘a chimera,’ that it spares, or ought to spare, every innocent person.
1823. Scott, Quentin D., xv. ‘Under favour, my Lord,’ said Tristan, with his usual brutality of manner, ‘the youth must find another guide.’
† b. ‘Lenity, mildness, mitigation of punishment’ (J.); an instance of this, a lenient act. Obs.
c. 1460. Fortescue, Abs. & Lim. Mon., v. To shew rigoure þer as fauour awght to be shewid.
c. 1475. Rauf Coilȝear, 902. Now faindis to haue fauour with thy fleichingis.
1535. Coverdale, Josh. xi. 20. And no fauoure to be shewed vnto them.
1596. Merch. V., IV. i. 386.
| Prouided … that for this fauour | |
| He presently become a Christian. |
1656. B. Harris, trans. Parival’s The History of This Iron Age, 136. Prisoners … put to ransom, by a singular favour of the Prince of Orange.
1726. Swift, Gulliver, I. vii. Having never been designed for a Courtier either by my Birth or Education, I was so ill a Judge of Things, that I could not discover the Lenity and Favour of this Sentence, but conceived it (perhaps erroneously) rather to be rigorous than gentle.
1780. Burke, Sp. at Bristol, Wks. 1842, I. 267. Who, to stifle dissension, would construe even doubtful appearances with the utmost favour.
† c. An indulgence, privilege. Obs.
1634. Documents agst. Prynne (Camden), 26. Yf Hen. 8 were alyve to rewarde him for this censure of his expence in playes, and favoureinge them, hee should not have the favour to aunswere it in this Courte.
1639. trans. Du Bosq’s Compl. Woman, A ij b. A favour reserved to few, to become witnesses of a vertue so extraordinary.
1646. Sir E. Nicholas, in The Nicholas Papers (Camden), I. 67. She is proffered the favour (as they stile if) of continuinge a tennant uppon the same condicions to them which she made with your Honour.
1659. Pearson, Creed, iv. 443. Those which were sentenc’d by the Romans to dye upon the Crosse, had not the favour of a sepulchre, but their bodies were exposed to the fouls of the air and the beasts of the field, or, if they escaped their voracity, to the longer injury of the air and weather.
1737. Whiston, Josephus’ Hist., IV. v. § 3. At length … they had the favour to be slain.
4. Partiality towards a litigant, competitor, etc.; personal sympathies as interfering with justice. Challenge to the favour (Law): see CHALLENGE sb. 3.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 179.
| Whan the Sampnites to him brought | |
| A somme of gold and him besought | |
| To don hem favour in the lawe. |
1413. Lydg., Pylgr. Sowle, I. xxxii. (1859), 36. The balaunce wylle nought lye, but withoute fauour iuge the trouthe.
1482. Eng. Gilds (1870), 318. Awe noe fawer more to one than to a nother.
1632. Massinger, Maid of Hon., V. ii. Not swayed or by favour or affection.
a. 1677. Barrow, Serm., Wks. 1716, II. 83. ’Tis favour therefore, I conceive, to their own habitual depravations of nature (or perhaps to some prejudicate opinions) which hath induced some men to make so disadvantageous a portraicture of humane nature, in which nothing lightsome or handsome, no lines of candour or rectitude do appear.
1839. in Bouvier, Law Dict., 447. Nor shall you [the Grand Jury] leave any one unpresented for fear, favour, affection, hope of reward or gain.
5. Aid, support, furtherance, whether proceeding from persons or things. Obs. exc. in phrases (now somewhat rare) by, under (the) favour of.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 1746. We haue … flele fryndes and fauer out of fer londys.
1434. Misyn, Mending of Life, 128. If our gostely ee be bisy to þat spirituall light, [to behald] þat light in it-self as it is it may not se, & ȝitt it felys it þat it is þere, qwhils it haldis with it favyr & heet of þatt light vnknawen.
1523. Fitzherbert, The Boke of Husbandry, § 66. At winter he [the calfe] wyll be bygge ynoughe to saue hym-selfe amonge other beastes, with a lyttell fauoure.
1580. Baret, Alv., F 249. He hopeth that by the fauour of some man, he may be holpen in this crime.
1633. T. Stafford, Pacata Hibernia, ix. (1821), 116. The great rejoicing of the Armie, which of necessitie in attempting the Castle, (without the favour of the Cannon) must have endured great losse.
1653. H. Cogan, trans. Pinto’s Trav., 10. By the favor of day light we perceived a great many sails, which invironed the Fort on all sides.
1699. Dampier, Voy., II. II. 46. Under favour of this Supposition, the Privateers marched through the Streets, even to the Fort, without the least Opposition.
1726. Shelvocke, Voy. round World (1757), 319. By the favour of thick weather, and a hard gale of wind, they got clear.
c. 1850. Arab. Nts. (Rtldg.), 626. By favour of six good rowers … we arrived at my country house.
1854. J. S. C. Abbott, Napoleon (1855), II. xxix. 537. He begged permission, under favor of the night, to surprise the Bellerophon.
6. In favor of (= Fr. en faveur de). Used as a prep. in various senses. a. In defence or support of; on behalf of; on the side of. To be in favor of: to be on the side of, to be disposed to support or advocate.
1556. Aurelio & Isab. (1608), I. Hoo well have you spoken in the favoure of the wemen.
1653. H. Cogan, trans. Pinto’s Trav., xlviii. 185. They all resolved to write a letter in favour of us to the old Queen.
1782. Priestley, Corrupt. Chr., I. I. 97. Thirty six of the bishops present were in favour of it.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 155. He attempted to interest in his favour those Roman Catholics.
b. To the advantage of. (Rarely, † in favour to.) Also Comm. with reference to a bill, etc.: So as to be payable to.
1556. Aurelio & Isab. (1608), G vij. Them that in their owne favour hathe approuved and made the lawes.
1640–1. Kirkcudbr. War-Comm. Min. Bk. (1855), 86. Ane act, allegit purchasit in his favores be Mr. John Diksone.
1654. trans. Scudery’s Curia Politiæ, 13. When such an accident happeneth, it is usually in favour to those extraordinary persons in whom [etc.].
1776. Trial of Nundocomar, 23/2. Bollakey Doss drew a draught on Benares in favor of Lord Clive.
1818. Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), VI. 58. Trusts, in favour of his wife and children.
1852. Sir H. Douglas, Milit. Bridges (ed. 3), 377. As we have found that the greatest tension of the bridge will not exceed 453/4 say 46 tons, there remains a balance of strength in favour of the bridge of 170; or the resisting power of the bridge is nearly five times greater than the tension it can ever be subjected to.
† c. In consideration of, for the sake of. Obs.
1605. Camden, Rem. (1637), 46. One Regilianus … got the Empire there, onely in favour of his name.
d. Out of a preference for.
1893. Law Times, XCV. 109/2. Builders … have refused land in Middlesex in favour of land in a non-register county.
7. (concr. of 1.) Something given as a mark of favour; esp. a gift such as a knot of ribbons, a glove, etc., given to a lover, or in mediæval chivalry by a lady to her knight, to be worn conspicuously as a token of affection.
1588. Shaks., Loves Labour’s Lost, V. ii. 130.
| Hold, Rosaline, this Fauour thou shalt weare, | |
| And then the King will court thee for his Deare. |
1592. Greene, Groat’s W. Wit (1617), 14. She … returned him a silke Riband for a fauour, tyed with a Truelouers knot.
1594. Marlowe & Nashe, Dido, III. Wks. (Rtldg.), 261/2.
| Flinging in favours of more sovereign worth | |
| Than Thetis hangs about Apollos neck. |
1712. Spectator, No. 436, 21 July, ¶ 6. Miller had a blue ribbon tied round the sword arm; which ornament I conceive to be the remains of that custom of wearing a mistress’s favour on such occasions [fencing contests] of old.
1842. Browning, My last Duchess. My favour at her breast.
1864. Kirk, Chas. Bold, I. II. iii. 508. A time when he should … wear her favors in the tilting-field.
b. A ribbon, cockade, or the like, worn at a ceremony, e.g., a bride’s, coronation, wedding favour, in evidence of goodwill; also, a similar decoration worn as a party-badge.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., IV. vii. 160 King. Here Fluellen, weare thou this fauour for me, and sticke it in thy Cappe.
1667. Pepys, Diary, 20 Feb. Observing Sir W. Pen’s carrying a favour to Sir W. Coventry, for his daughter’s wedding.
a. 1693. Urquhart, Rabelais, III. xxx. I will send you … the Bride’s Favour.
1708. Luttrell, Brief Rel. (1857), V. 166. The motto of the coronation favours was, God has sent our hearts content.
1741. H. Walpole, Corr. (ed. 3), I. ix. 27. The city shops are full of favours.
1771. Smollett, Humph. Cl. (1815), 254. A bride’s favour … he now wore in his cap.
1825. C. M. Westmacott, Eng. Spy, I. 34. Choice of jackets, hats, and favors.
1859. Jephson, Brittany, xi. 183. He wears in his button-hole a favour of blue, green, and white ribbons, the Druidical emblems of peace, sincerity, and purity.
8. That which conciliates affection or goodwill; attractiveness, comeliness, beauty; an attraction, charm. Obs. exc. arch.
c. 1300. K. Alis., 2844.
| Tofore the kyng com an harpour, | |
| And made a lay of gret favour. |
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., A. 428. Bot ho hir passed in sum favour?
c. 1430. Hymns Virg. (1867), 126.
| A woman sate wepyng, | |
| With fauour in here face far passynge my reson. |
1513. Douglas, Æneis, XII. vii. 25.
| Wyth quhais [Japis’] favour vmquhile strangly caucht, | |
| This God Appollo glaidly has hym taucht. |
c. 1585. Faire Em, I. 228.
| Will. A modest countenance, no heavy sullen look, | |
| Not very fair, but richly deck’d with favour: | |
| A sweet face, an exceeding dainty hand. |
a. 1592. Greene & Lodge, Looking Glass (1861), 124. Now ope, ye folds, where queen of favour sits.
1611. Bible, Ecclus. xl. 22. Thine eye desireth fauour and beautie: but more then both, corne while it is greene.
1630. R. Johnson, Relations of the Most Famous Kingdoms, etc., 91. The general contentment, which our English women afford, without sophisticate and adulterate favours.
1847. Helps, Friends in C. (1854), I. 116. It takes away much of the favour of life.
9. Appearance, aspect, look. Now arch. or dial.
c. 1450. Henryson, Mor. Fab., 34.
| The Phisnomie, the fauour of thy face, | |
| For thy defence is foule and disfigurate. |
a. 1529. Skelton, Poems agst. Garnesche, 9. The favyr of your face Is voyd of all grace.
1551. Robinson, trans. More’s Utop., I. (Arb.), 29. A man … whome, by his fauoure and apparell … I iudged to bee a mariner.
1595. Shaks., John, V. iv. 50.
| But I do loue the fauour, and the forme | |
| Of this most faire occasion. |
1650. Fuller, A Pisgah-sight of Palestine, I. viii. 23. Palestine … being tricked and trimmed with many new Cities, had the favour thereof quite altered.
1657. W. Rand, trans. Gassendi’s Life of Peiresc, I. A 8 a. It was your pleasure also to learn the favour of his Countenance from his Picture.
1863. Mrs. C. Clarke, Shaks. Char., viii. 197. He is the ‘counterfeit presentment’ of his sister in external favour, and no more.
b. The countenance, face. arch.
1525. Ld. Berners, Froiss., II. ccxlvii. [ccxliii.] 759. He was lyke kynge Richarde in fauoure.
1581. C. T., in Farr., S. P. Eliz. (1845), II. 396.
| The other saith, My fauour is harde, | |
| My body croukte, of all despisde; | |
| The world I leaue; it loues not me; | |
| I ioy to think on heauenly things. |
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turks (1621), 861. Courrours were sent out … with certain notes also of the favour of the man.
1676. Lond. Gaz., No. 1126/4. He is of low stature, and thin favor.
1691. Ray, Creation, II. (1704), 439. By their virtuous Behaviour compensate the Hardness of their Favour, and by Pulchritude of their Souls, make up what is wanting in the Beauty of their Bodies.
1822. B. Cornwall, Poems, Love Cured by Kindness.
| Think you I do not know you? yes, and know | |
| Whence comes this noble favour. |
1875. Tennyson, Q. Mary, V. ii.
| What makes thy favour like the bloodless head | |
| Fall’n on the block, and held up by the hair? |
† c. A feature. Obs.
1596. Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., III. ii. 136.
| When I will weare a Garment all of Blood, | |
| And staine my fauours in a bloody Maske. |
1598. Drayton, Heroic. Ep., iii. 23.
| Oft in thy Face, one Favour from the rest | |
| I singled forth, that pleas’d my fancy best. |
1655. Digges, Compl. Ambass., 343. The Gentleman sure is void of any good favour, besides the blemish of the small pocks.
d. Family likeness. Cf. FAVOUR v. 8. dial.
Mod. dial. (Staffordshire), I knew her by favour, as soon as I saw her.
10. Comb. † favour-currier = CURRY-FAVOUR; favour-currying ppl. a.: see CURRY v.; † favour-ribbon, a ribbon worn as a love-token.
1831. T. L. Peacock, in Examiner, 14 Aug. Long floods of favour-currying gabble.
1855. Kingsley, Westw. Ho! (1889), 13/2. They train the lads up eaves-droppers and favour-curriers.
1762–71. H. Walpole, Vertue’s Anecd. Paint. (1786), II. 291. Drinking, and dipping their favour-ribbands in the wine.
