Word: for Part of Speech: prep Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *per- Proto-Indo-European *preh₂- Proto-Indo-European *pr̥h₂-i Proto-Germanic *furi Proto-West Germanic *furi Old English for Middle English for English for Inherited 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 Bokmål and Norwegian Nynorsk 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”). Pronunciation: /fɔː/, /fɔɹ/, /foː/, /fɔɾ/, /fə/ 1. Towards; in the direction of. Example: The astronauts headed for the moon. Example: Run for the hills! 2. Leading towards in time or circumstance. Example: We're heading for bankruptcy. Example: He's set for graduating this year. 3. Directed at; intended to belong to. Example: I have something for you. Example: Maya Erwin, Vice President of Marketing & Innovation at Blue Diamond added in a press release: “Partnering with Mike’s Hot Honey allowed us to create something truly unique for snack lovers. 4. In order to help, benefit, gratify, honor etc. (someone or something). Example: Everything I do, I do for you. Example: We're having a birthday party for Janet. 5. Befitting of someone’s beliefs, needs, wants, skills, or tastes; best suited to. Example: I’ll strike a blow for you. Example: If having to bag the groceries correctly is more than you can handle, then this isn't the job for you. 6. To be used or treated in a stated way, or with a stated purpose or meaning. Example: This is a new bell for my bicycle. Example: The cake is for Tom and Helen's anniversary. 7. Supporting, in favour of. Example: All those for the motion, raise your hands. Example: Who's for ice-cream? 8. Because of. Example: He wouldn't apologize; and just for that, she refused to help him. Example: He looks better for having lost weight. 9. In order to cure, remove or counteract. Example: I need to spray my house for termites. Example: The doctor treated me for arthritis. 10. So as to allow (something or someone) to take position. Example: Make way for the president! Example: Clear the shelves for our new Christmas stock! 11. In anticipation of. Example: Stand by for your cue. Example: Prepare for battle. 12. As an evaluation of; as to evaluate in connection with. Example: I am grading for style on this paper. Example: History will judge you for your actions. 13. So as to identify or locate. Example: They swept the area for enemy operatives. Example: Police combed his flat for clues. 14. Over (a period of time). Example: I've lived here for three years. Example: They fought for days over a silly pencil. 15. Throughout or across (a distance in space). Example: I can see for miles. Example: For many miles about / There's scarce a bush. 16. Used to introduce a subject of a to-infinitive clause. Example: It seems unreasonable for our boss to withhold our wages. Example: I don't think it's a good idea for you and me to meet. 17. On behalf of. Example: I will stand in for him. Example: I speak for the Prime Minister. 18. In the role or capacity of; instead of; in place of. Example: I used a hay bale for a bed. Example: He's got a turnip for a brain. 19. In exchange for; in correspondence or equivalence with. Example: I got five hundred pounds for that old car! Example: He matched me blow for blow. 20. In order to obtain or acquire. Example: I am aiming for completion by the end of business Thursday. Example: He's going for his doctorate. 21. By the standards of, usually with the implication that those standards are lower than one might otherwise expect; considering. Example: Fair for its day. Example: She's spry for an old lady. 22. To be, or as being. Example: Don't take me for a fool. Example: 17th century Abraham Cowley, Of Wit We take a falling meteor for a star. 23. Despite, in spite of. Example: For all his expensive education, he didn't seem very bright. Example: "You must keep your head. There is still hope." "Hope!" "Yes; plentiful hope -- for all this destruction!" 24. Indicating something desired or anticipated. Example: O for the wings of a dove. Example: Ah! for wings to soar … 25. Introducing the first item(s) in a potential sequence . Example: Go scuba diving? For one thing, I can't even swim. Example: For another, we don't have any equipment. 26. In honor of; after. Labels: US Example: He is named for his grandfather. 27. Due for or facing (a certain outcome or fate). Labels: UK Example: He totally screwed up that project. Now he's surely for the sack. 28. Out of; used to indicate a fraction, a ratio Labels: US Example: In term of base hits, Jones was three for four on the day 29. For the price of. Example: Special offer: three for two. 30. Used as part of a score to indicate the number of wickets that have fallen. Example: At close of play, England were 305 for 3. 31. Indicating that in prevention of which, or through fear of which, anything is done. Labels: obsolete Example: We'll have a bib, for spoiling of thy doublet. 32. So (that), in order to. Labels: nonstandard Example: He took the swing shift for he could get more overtime. 33. 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. Example: to account for one's whereabouts to care for a relative to settle for second best to allow for mistakes 34. Used to introduce a variable subject to quantification, or to establish a restricting domain for a subsequent mathematical statement. Example: The identity f(x+y) = f(x) + f(y) holds for all x,y ∈ G. Example: For each set A, there is a set B whose elements are exactly the subsets of A. For x > 0, the function ln(x) is strictly increasing.