favour
verb/ˈfeɪvə(r)/
/ˈfeɪvər/
(US English favor)
Verb Forms
Idioms | present simple I / you / we / they favour | /ˈfeɪvə(r)/ /ˈfeɪvər/ |
| he / she / it favours | /ˈfeɪvəz/ /ˈfeɪvərz/ |
| past simple favoured | /ˈfeɪvəd/ /ˈfeɪvərd/ |
| past participle favoured | /ˈfeɪvəd/ /ˈfeɪvərd/ |
| -ing form favouring | /ˈfeɪvərɪŋ/ /ˈfeɪvərɪŋ/ |
- to prefer one system, plan, way of doing something, etc. to another
- favour something Many countries favour a presidential system of government.
- It’s a resort favoured by families with young children.
- Another solution, which I strongly favour, is lower taxes for everyone.
- With make-up I favour a minimalist approach.
- favour something over something She favours hugs over handshakes.
- favour doing something Most patients favour seeing the same GP for all their health needs.
Extra ExamplesTopics Preferences and decisionsb2- We strongly favour reform of the system.
- Black voters have traditionally favoured the Democratic Party.
- Haitians especially favour seafoods.
- I personally favour this last option.
- Pot plants are increasingly favoured as gifts by guests.
- She continues to favour large-scale developments.
- The Democrat candidate is favoured for re-election.
- The polls slightly favour the Republicans.
- The prime minister is thought to favour an early referendum on the issue.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- greatly
- heavily
- overwhelmingly
- …
- appear to
- be known to
- be likely to
- …
- at the expense of
- for
- over
- …
- to treat one person, group or organization better than you treat others, especially in an unfair way
- favour somebody/something The treaty seems to favour the US.
- My parents always favoured my older brother.
- He favoured some individuals at the expense of others.
- favour somebody/something over somebody/something News coverage should not favour one party over another.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- greatly
- heavily
- overwhelmingly
- …
- appear to
- be known to
- be likely to
- …
- at the expense of
- for
- over
- …
- favour something to provide suitable conditions for a particular person, group, etc.
- The warm climate favours many types of tropical plants.
- favour somebody (old-fashioned or North American English, informal) to look like one of your parents or older relations
- She definitely favours her father.
prefer
treat better
help
look like parent
Word OriginMiddle English (in the noun sense ‘liking, preference’): via Old French from Latin favor, from favere ‘show kindness to’ (related to fovere ‘cherish’).
Idioms
See favour in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishbe favoured to do something
- to be expected to achieve something, especially in a competition
- He is favoured to win a third Olympic gold medal.
Check pronunciation:
favour