for
Language: English
Part of speech: prep
Pronunciation: note: strong form
enpr: fôr
ipa: /fɔː(ɹ)/
ipa: /fɔɹ/
ipa: [foːɹ]
ipa: [fɔ(ː)ɹ]
ipa: [fəɹ]
ipa: /foː(ɹ)/
note: Indic
ipa: /fɒː(ɾ)/
note: weak form
enpr: fər
ipa: /fə(ɹ)/
ipa: /fɚ/
ipa: /fɘ(ɹ)/
rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)
homophone: faugh (non-rhotic)
homophone: faw (non-rhotic)
homophone: fore
homophone: four (horse–hoarse merger)
Forms: form: fa
form: fo
form: fo'
form: fur
form: fuh
form: fer
Etymology: From Middle English for, from Old English for (“for, because of”), from Proto-Germanic *furi (“for”), from Proto-Indo-European *preh₂-.
Cognate with West Frisian foar (“for”), Dutch voor (“for”), German für (“for”), Danish for (“for”), Swedish för (“for”), Norwegian for (“for”), Icelandic fyrir (“for”), Latin per (“by, through, for, by means of”) and Romance language descendants (e.g. Spanish por (“for”)), Ancient Greek περί (perí, “for, about, toward”), Lithuanian per (“by, through, during”), Slovak pre (“for”), Sanskrit परि (pári, “over, around”).
Senses: examples: text: The astronauts headed for the moon.
text: Run for the hills!
text: He was headed for the door when he remembered.
text: Wee ſailed from Peru, (where wee had continued by the ſpace of one whole yeare,) for China and Iapan, by the South Sea; [...]
ref: 1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “New Atlantis. A Worke Vnfinished.”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC, page 1:
glosses: Towards; in the direction of.
examples: text: I have something for you.
glosses: Directed at; intended to belong to.
examples: text: Everything I do, I do for you.
text: We're having a birthday party for Janet.
text: The mayor gave a speech for the charity gala.
text: You, telling me the things you're gonna do for me.
ref: 1976, Michael McDonald, “Takin' It to the Streets”, performed by The Doobie Brothers:
glosses: In order to help, benefit, gratify, honor etc. (someone or something).
examples: text: If having to bag the groceries correctly is more than you can handle, then this isn't the job for you.
glosses: Befitting of someone’s beliefs, needs, wants, skills, or tastes; best suited to.
examples: text: This is a new bell for my bicycle.
text: The cake is for Tom and Helen's anniversary.
text: This medicine is for your cough.
text: These apples here are for eating. The rest are for throwing away.
text: I'll buy something for killing cockroaches. We must find something to kill them all.
glosses: To be used or treated in a stated way, or with a stated purpose.
examples: text: All those for the motion, raise your hands.
text: Who's for ice-cream?
text: I'm for going by train
raw_tags: with implied object
text: Ten voted for, and three against.
text: "I'll go round presently, and pay our friend off." Rather alarmed by this summary action, I was for a little delay, and even hinted that our friend himself might be difficult to deal with.
ref: 1860 December – 1861 August, Charles Dickens, chapter XI, in Great Expectations […], volume II, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published October 1861, →OCLC, page 180:
antonyms: against
glosses: Supporting, in favour of.
examples: text: He wouldn't apologize; and just for that, she refused to help him.
raw_tags: UK usage
text: He looks better for having lost weight.
text: She was the worse for drink.
text: I like her for lots of reasons.
text: with fiery eyes sparkling for very wrath
ref: c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene v]:
text: "A summerly day for you," said my host; "You ought to be here in winter. It is impossible then to get out of the doors for the snow and wind. Ugh! dreadful weather!"
ref: 1867, Frederick Metcalfe, The Oxonian in Iceland, page 202:
text: I could not see his hands, for the thick gloves he wore, and his face was partially concealed by a red woollen comforter; but his entire appearance and manners tallied with what I had seen of Yorkshire farmerhood.
ref: 1864, George Etell Sargent, The Story of a City Arab, page 313:
glosses: Because of.
examples: text: I need to spray my house for termites.
glosses: In order to cure, remove or counteract.
examples: text: Make way for the president!
text: Clear the shelves for our new Christmas stock!
glosses: So as to allow (something or someone) to take position.
examples: text: Stand by for your cue.
text: Prepare for battle.
glosses: In anticipation of.
examples: text: They swept the area for enemy operatives.
text: Police combed his flat for clues.
glosses: So as to identify or locate.
examples: text: I've lived here for three years.
text: They fought for days over a silly pencil.
text: The store is closed for the day.
text: To guide the sun's bright chariot for a day.
ref: 1717, Joseph Addison, Metamorphoses:
glosses: Over (a period of time).
examples: text: I can see for miles.
text: For many miles about / There's scarce a bush.
ref: c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv]:
glosses: Throughout or across (a distance in space).
examples: text: It seems unreasonable for our boss to withhold our wages.
text: I don't think it's a good idea for you and me to meet.
text: For you and me to meet is not a good idea because I'm not eager for it to be a success.
glosses: Used to introduce a subject of a to-infinitive clause.
examples: text: I will stand in for him.
text: I speak for the Prime Minister.
glosses: On behalf of.
examples: text: I used a hay bale for a bed.
text: He's got a turnip for a brain.
glosses: In the role or capacity of; instead of; in place of.
examples: text: I got five hundred pounds for that old car!
text: He matched me blow for blow.
text: And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
ref: 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Exodus 21:23-24:
glosses: In exchange for; in correspondence or equivalence with.
examples: text: I am aiming for completion by the end of business Thursday.
text: He's going for his doctorate.
text: Do you want to go for coffee?
text: People all over Greece looked to Delphi for answers.
text: Can you go to the store for some eggs?
text: I'm saving up for a car.
text: Don't wait for an answer.
text: What did he ask you for?
text: For we would have you know it, / The loſs will fall on us, not on the Poet: / For he writes not for money, nor for praiſe, / Nor to be call'd a Wit, nor to wear Bayes: […]
ref: 1641 (first performance), [John Denham], “The Prologue”, in The Sophy. […], 2nd edition, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for H[enry] Herringman, […], published 1667, →OCLC:
glosses: In order to obtain or acquire.
examples: text: Fair for its day.
text: She's spry for an old lady.
text: He's very mature, for a two-year-old.
glosses: By the standards of, usually with the implication that those standards are lower than one might otherwise expect; considering.
examples: text: Don't take me for a fool.
text: 17th century Abraham Cowley, Of Wit
We take a falling meteor for a star.
text: if a man can be persuaded and fully assured of anything for a truth without having examined, what is there that he may not embrace for truth ?
ref: a. 1705, John Locke, “Of the Conduct of the Understanding”, in Posthumous Works of Mr. John Locke: […], London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], published 1706, →OCLC:
text: Most of our ingenious young men take up some cry'd-up English poet for their model.
ref: c. 1690, John Dryden, Translations (Preface)
text: But let her go for an ungrateful woman.
ref: 1712, Ambrose Philips, The Distrest Mother:
text: They knew him for a stranger.
ref: 1976, Louis L’Amour, chapter 2, in The Rider of Lost Creek, Bantam Dell, →ISBN:
text: I would advise anyone who does not share its politics — surely the great majority of gay men and lesbians — to shun NOLAG for the anachronistic zombie it is.
ref: 1982 February 13, Wayne Dynes, “Unnatural”, in Gay Community News, volume 9, number 29, page 4:
glosses: To be, or as being.
examples: text: For all his expensive education, he didn't seem very bright.
text: "You must keep your head. There is still hope." "Hope!" "Yes; plentiful hope -- for all this destruction!"
ref: 1898, H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds, London: William Heinemann, page 113:
text: 1892 August 6, "The Unbidden Guest", in Charles Dickens, Jr. (editor), All the Year Round, page 133,
Mr. Joseph Blenkinshaw was perhaps not worth quite so much as was reported; but for all that he was a very wealthy man […]
text: For all his faults, there had been something lofty and great about him - as a judge, as a patron of education, as a builder, as an international figure.
ref: 1968, J. J. Scarisbrick, Henry VIII, page 240:
qualifier: usually in the phrase 'for all'
glosses: Despite, in spite of.
examples: text: O for the wings of a dove.
text: Ah! for wings to soar …
text: And now for a slap-up meal!
text: O For a Muſe of Fire, that would aſcend / The brighteſt Heauen of Inuention :
ref: 1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act PROLOGUE, (please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)]:
text: Oh! but to breathe the air / By their side under summer skies! To watch the blush on their cheeks, / The light in their liquid eyes. / Oh! but for one short hour, / To whisper a word of love; […]
ref: 1858 March 27, “The Lay of the Brief”, in Punch, Or, The London Charivari, page 129:
glosses: Indicating something desired or anticipated.
examples: text: Go scuba diving? For one thing, I can't even swim.
text: For another, we don't have any equipment.
glosses: Introducing the first item(s) in a potential sequence .
raw_tags: in expressions such as 'for a start'
examples: text: He is named for his grandfather.
glosses: In honor of; after.
raw_tags: with names
examples: text: He totally screwed up that project. Now he's surely for the sack.
glosses: Due for or facing (a certain outcome or fate).
examples: text: In term of base hits, Jones was three for four on the day
glosses: Out of; used to indicate a fraction, a ratio
examples: text: At close of play, England were 305 for 3.
topics: ball-games
cricket
games
hobbies
lifestyle
sports
glosses: Used as part of a score to indicate the number of wickets that have fallen.
examples: text: We'll have a bib, for spoiling of thy doublet.
ref: 1609–1612, Francis Beaumont, John Fletcher, “The Captaine”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC, Act III, scene v:
glosses: Indicating that in prevention of which, or through fear of which, anything is done.
examples: text: He took the swing shift for he could get more overtime.
glosses: So (that), in order to
examples: text: to account for one's whereabouts    to care for a relative    to settle for second best    to allow for mistakes
glosses: Used in various other more-or-less idiomatic ways to construe individual verbs, indicating various semantic relationships such as target, purpose, result, etc.; see also the entries for individual phrasal verbs, e.g. ask for, look for, stand for, etc.
Derived terms: benevolent dictator for life
bond for deed
close enough for horseshoes and hand grenades
cure for cancer
fish for compliments
for all
forasmuch
for a while
forcause
forever
for fear that
for good
for good and all
for good measure
for hellery
for it
for kicks
for me and not for thee
formenism
for real
for reasons
forsooth
for sport
for the chop
for the craic
for the love of the game
for the record
forwhy
gape for
go for the jugular vein
herefor
herefore
not for
once and for all
puke for brains
run for cover
save the drama for your momma
sorry for 1999
thank you for your attention to this matter
toco for yam
wherefor
wherefore
why for