for
Part of speech: conj
prep
Morphological type: simple
Topics: ball-games
business
commerce
cricket
games
hobbies
lifestyle
sports
Etymology: 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”).
Inflected forms:
form: fa
pos: prep
tags: alternative
form: fo
pos: prep
tags: alternative
form: foh
pos: prep
tags: alternative
form: fo'
pos: prep
tags: alternative
form: fur
pos: prep
tags: alternative
form: fuh
pos: prep
tags: alternative
form: fer
pos: prep
tags: alternative
Senses:
gloss: Because.
pos: conj
tags: formal
literary
examples: I had to stay with my wicked stepmother, for I had nowhere else to go.
[…]Dismount thy tuck, be yare in thy preparation, for thy assailant is quick, skillful and deadly.
[…]nor is there found, in sea or on land, a sweeter or pleasanter of gifts than she; for she is prime in comeliness and seemlihead of face and symmetrical shape of perfect grace; her check is ruddy dight, her brow flower white, her teeth gem-bright, her eyes blackest black and whitest white, her hips of heavy weight, her waist slight and her favour exquisite.
"By means of the Golden Cap I shall command the Winged Monkeys to carry you to the gates of the Emerald City," said Glinda, "for it would be a shame to deprive the people of so wonderful a ruler."
Let me root, root, root for the home team, / If they don't win, it's a shame. / For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out, / At the old ball game.
gloss: Towards; in the direction of.
pos: prep
examples: The astronauts headed for the moon.
Run for the hills!
He was headed for the door when he remembered.
Wee ſailed from Peru, (where wee had continued by the ſpace of one whole yeare,) for China and Iapan, by the South Sea; [...]
gloss: Leading towards in time or circumstance.
pos: prep
examples: We're heading for bankruptcy.
He's set for graduating this year.
gloss: Directed at; intended to belong to.
pos: prep
examples: I have something for you.
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.
gloss: In order to help, benefit, gratify, honor etc. (someone or something).
pos: prep
examples: Everything I do, I do for you.
We're having a birthday party for Janet.
The mayor gave a speech for the charity gala.
You, telling me the things you're gonna do for me.
gloss: Befitting of someone’s beliefs, needs, wants, skills, or tastes; best suited to.
pos: prep
examples: I’ll strike a blow for you.
If having to bag the groceries correctly is more than you can handle, then this isn't the job for you.
gloss: To be used or treated in a stated way, or with a stated purpose or meaning.
pos: prep
examples: This is a new bell for my bicycle.
The cake is for Tom and Helen's anniversary.
This medicine is for your cough.
These apples here are for eating. The rest are for throwing away.
I'll buy something for killing cockroaches. We must find something to kill them all.
'Adieu' is French for goodbye.
Hammers are for knocking nails in, not for smashing my windows!
gloss: Supporting, in favour of.
pos: prep
examples: All those for the motion, raise your hands.
Who's for ice-cream?
I'm for going by train
Ten voted for, and three against.
"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.
gloss: Because of.
pos: prep
examples: He wouldn't apologize; and just for that, she refused to help him.
He looks better for having lost weight.
She was the worse for drink.
I like her for lots of reasons.
I jumped for joy.
with fiery eyes sparkling for very wrath
"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!"
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.
gloss: In order to cure, remove or counteract.
pos: prep
examples: I need to spray my house for termites.
The doctor treated me for arthritis.
We're protesting for climate change.
gloss: So as to allow (something or someone) to take position.
pos: prep
examples: Make way for the president!
Clear the shelves for our new Christmas stock!
gloss: In anticipation of.
pos: prep
examples: Stand by for your cue.
Prepare for battle.
gloss: As an evaluation of; as to evaluate in connection with.
pos: prep
examples: I am grading for style on this paper.
History will judge you for your actions.
We're investigating you for the robbery.
gloss: So as to identify or locate.
pos: prep
examples: They swept the area for enemy operatives.
Police combed his flat for clues.
gloss: Over (a period of time).
pos: prep
examples: I've lived here for three years.
They fought for days over a silly pencil.
The store is closed for the day.
To guide the sun's bright chariot for a day.
gloss: Throughout or across (a distance in space).
pos: prep
examples: I can see for miles.
For many miles about / There's scarce a bush.
gloss: Used to introduce a subject of a to-infinitive clause.
pos: prep
examples: It seems unreasonable for our boss to withhold our wages.
I don't think it's a good idea for you and me to meet.
For you and me to meet is not a good idea because I'm not eager for it to be a success.
gloss: On behalf of.
pos: prep
examples: I will stand in for him.
I speak for the Prime Minister.
gloss: In the role or capacity of; instead of; in place of.
pos: prep
examples: I used a hay bale for a bed.
He's got a turnip for a brain.
gloss: In exchange for; in correspondence or equivalence with.
pos: prep
examples: I got five hundred pounds for that old car!
He matched me blow for blow.
And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
gloss: In order to obtain or acquire.
pos: prep
examples: I am aiming for completion by the end of business Thursday.
He's going for his doctorate.
Do you want to go for coffee?
People all over Greece looked to Delphi for answers.
After a split second of hesitation, the second baseman leaped for the ball—or, rather, stumbled for it.
Can you go to the store for some eggs?
I'm saving up for a car.
Don't wait for an answer.
What did he ask you for?
All this sun spoils me for vacations in the far North.
Let's go out for dinner.
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: […]
gloss: By the standards of, usually with the implication that those standards are lower than one might otherwise expect; considering.
pos: prep
examples: Fair for its day.
She's spry for an old lady.
He's very mature, for a two-year-old.
gloss: To be, or as being.
pos: prep
examples: Don't take me for a fool.
17th century Abraham Cowley, Of Wit
We take a falling meteor for a star.
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 ?
Most of our ingenious young men take up some cry'd-up English poet for their model.
But let her go for an ungrateful woman.
They knew him for a stranger.
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.
gloss: Despite, in spite of.
pos: prep
examples: For all his expensive education, he didn't seem very bright.
"You must keep your head. There is still hope." "Hope!" "Yes; plentiful hope -- for all this destruction!"
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 […]
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.
gloss: Indicating something desired or anticipated.
pos: prep
examples: O for the wings of a dove.
Ah! for wings to soar …
And now for a slap-up meal!
O For a Muſe of Fire, that would aſcend / The brighteſt Heauen of Inuention :
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; […]
gloss: Introducing the first item(s) in a potential sequence .
pos: prep
examples: Go scuba diving? For one thing, I can't even swim.
For another, we don't have any equipment.
gloss: In honor of; after.
pos: prep
tags: US
examples: He is named for his grandfather.
gloss: Due for or facing (a certain outcome or fate).
pos: prep
tags: UK
examples: He totally screwed up that project. Now he's surely for the sack.
gloss: Out of; used to indicate a fraction, a ratio
pos: prep
tags: US
examples: In term of base hits, Jones was three for four on the day
gloss: For the price of.
pos: prep
examples: Special offer: three for two.
gloss: Used as part of a score to indicate the number of wickets that have fallen.
pos: prep
examples: At close of play, England were 305 for 3.
gloss: Indicating that in prevention of which, or through fear of which, anything is done.
pos: prep
tags: obsolete
examples: We'll have a bib, for spoiling of thy doublet.
gloss: So (that), in order to
pos: prep
tags: nonstandard
examples: He took the swing shift for he could get more overtime.
gloss: 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.
pos: prep
examples: to account for one's whereabouts    to care for a relative    to settle for second best    to allow for mistakes
Antonyms: against
Derived words: benevolent dictator for life
bond for deed
cheek for chowl
close enough for horseshoes and hand grenades
cure for cancer
fish for compliments
for all
forasmuch
for a while
forcause
for crying in the beer
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 Moses
for the love of the game
for the record
forwhy
gape for
go for the jugular vein
herefor
herefore
make a dash for it
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
what do you do for a living
wherefor
wherefore
why for
Translations: