FAVOR

FAVOR. → See GOD, GRACE OF

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favor. Favor, v.t. to countenance, support, assist, befriend, spare, ease, resemble

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Fa″vor (fā″vẽr), n. [[Written also favour.]] [[OF. favor, F. faveur, L. favor, fr. favere to be favorable, cf. Skr. bhāvaya to further, foster, causative of bhū to become, be. Cf. Be. In the phrase to curry favor, favor is prob. for favel a horse. See 2d Favel.]] 1. 1. Kind regard; propitious aspect; countenance; friendly disposition; kindness; good will.
Hath crawled into the favor of the king. Shak. 2. 2. The act of countenancing, or the condition of being countenanced, or regarded propitiously; support; promotion; befriending.
But found no favor in his lady's eyes. Dryden. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. Luke ii. 52. 3. 3. A kind act or office; kindness done or granted; benevolence shown by word or deed; an act of grace or good will, as distinct from justice or remuneration.
Beg one favor at thy gracious hand. Shak. 4. 4. Mildness or mitigation of punishment; lenity.
I could not discover the lenity and favor of this sentence. Swift. 5. 5. The object of regard; person or thing favored.
All these his wondrous works, but chiefly man, His chief delight and favor. Milton. 6. 6. A gift or present; something bestowed as an evidence of good will; a token of love; a knot of ribbons; something worn as a token of affection; as, a marriage favor is a bunch or knot of white ribbons or white flowers worn at a wedding.
Wear thou this favor for me, and stick it in thy cap. Shak. 7. 7. Appearance; look; countenance; face.
This boy is fair, of female favor. Shak. 8. 8. (Law) Partiality; bias. Bouvier.
9. 9. A letter or epistle; — so called in civility or compliment; as, your favor of yesterday is received.
10. 10. pl. Love locks. Wright.
Challenge to the favor or for favor (Law), the challenge of a juror on grounds not sufficient to constitute a principal challenge, but sufficient to give rise to a probable suspicion of favor or bias, such as acquaintance, business relation, etc. See Principal challenge, under Challenge. — In favor of, upon the side of; favorable to; for the advantage of. — In favor with, favored, countenanced, or encouraged by. — To curry favor [[see the etymology of Favor, above]], to seek to gain favor by flattery, caresses, kindness, or officious civilities. — With one's favor, or By one's favor, with leave; by kind permission. But, with your favor, I will treat it here. Dryden. Syn. — Kindness; countenance; patronage; support; lenity; grace; gift; present; benefit.