Hath crawled into the favor of the king. --Shak.
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. 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. Mildness or mitigation of punishment; lenity.
I could not discover the lenity and favor of this
sentence. --Swift.
5. The object of regard; person or thing favored.
All these his wondrous works, but chiefly man, His
chief delight and favor. --Milton.
6. A gift or represent; 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. Appearance; look; countenance; face. [Obs.]
This boy is fair, of female favor. --Shak.
8. (Law) Partiality; bias. --Bouvier.
9. A letter or epistle; -- so called in civility or
compliment; as, your favor of yesterday is received.
10. pl. Love locks. [Obs.] --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.
O happy youth! and favored of the skies. --Pope.
He that favoreth Joab, . . . let him go after Joab.
--2 Sam. xx.
11.
[The painter] has favored her squint admirably.
--Swift.
2. To afford advantages for success to; to facilitate; as, a
weak place favored the entrance of the enemy.
3. To resemble in features; to have the aspect or looks of;
as, the child favors his father.
The porter owned that the gentleman favored his
master. --Spectator.