FromMiddle Englishfor, fromOld Englishfor(“for, because of”), fromProto-Germanic*furi(“for”), fromProto-Indo-European*preh₂-.

Cognate withWest Frisianfoar(“for”),Dutchvoor(“for”),Germanfür(“for”),Danishfor(“for”),Swedishför(“for”),Norwegianfor(“for”),Icelandicfyrir(“for”),Latinper(“by, through, for, by means of”) and Romance language descendants (e.g.Spanishpara(“for”)),Ancient Greekπερί(perí,“for, about, toward”),Lithuanianper(“by, through, during”),Slovakpre(“for”),Sanskritपरि(pári,“over, around”).

• (stressed form)enPR:fôr
  • (Received Pronunciation)IPA^(key):/fɔː(ɹ)/
  • (General American)IPA^(key):/foɹ/

    • Audio(General American):

      (file)

  • (Canada)IPA^(key):[foːɹ]
    • (dialectal)IPA^(key):[fɔ(ː)ɹ],[fəɹ]
  • (General Australian,New Zealand)IPA^(key):/foː(ɹ)/

    • Audio(General Australian):

      (file)

  • (Indic)IPA^(key):/fɒː(ɾ)/
  • Rhymes:-ɔː(ɹ)
• (unstressed form)enPR:fər
  • (Received Pronunciation,General Australian)IPA^(key):/fə(ɹ)/
  • (General American,Canada)IPA^(key):/fɚ/

    • Audio(California,unstressed form);“wait for me”:

      (file)

  • (New Zealand)IPA^(key):/fɘ(ɹ)/
• Homophones:fore,four(horse–hoarse merger)

for

1. (formal,literary)Because.

   I had to stay with my wicked stepmother,for I had nowhere else to go.

   • c.1601,William Shakespeare,Twelfth Night‎^[2], act 3, scene 4:

     […]Dismount thy tuck, be yare in thy preparation,for thy assailant is quick, skillful and deadly.

   • 1885,Richard Francis Burton,The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night:

     […]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.

   • 1900,L[yman] Frank Baum, chapter 23, inThe Wonderful Wizard of Oz:

     "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."

• given that,seeing that; see alsoThesaurus:because

for

1. Towards; in thedirection of.

   The astronauts headedfor the moon.

   Runfor the hills!

   He was headedfor the door when he remembered.

   • 1627 (indicated as1626),Francis [Bacon], “New Atlantis. A Worke Vnfinished.”, inSylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London:[…]William Rawley […];[p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […],→OCLC,page 1:

     Wee ſailed fromPeru, (where wee had continued by the ſpace of one whole yeare,)forChina andIapan, by the South Sea; [...]

2. Directed at;intended tobelong to.

   I have somethingfor you.

3. In order to help, benefit, gratify, honor etc. (someone or something).

   Everything I do, I dofor you.

   We're having a birthday partyfor Janet.

   The mayor gave a speechfor the charity gala.

   • 1976,Michael McDonald, “Takin' It to the Streets”, performed byThe Doobie Brothers:

     You, telling me the things you're gonna dofor me.

4. Befitting of someone’s beliefs, needs, wants, skills, or tastes; best suited to.

   If having to bag the groceries correctly is more than you can handle, then this isn't the jobfor you.

5. To be used or treated in a stated way, or with a stated purpose.

   This is a new bellfor my bicycle.

   The cake isfor Tom and Helen's anniversary.

   This medicine isfor your cough.

   These apples here arefor eating. The rest arefor throwing away.

   I'll buy somethingfor killing cockroaches.

6. Supporting, infavour of.

   Antonym:against

   All thosefor the motion, raise your hands.

   Who'sfor ice-cream?

   I'mfor going by train

   Ten votedfor, and three against.(with implied object)

7. Because of.

   He wouldn't apologize; and justfor that, she refused to help him.

   He looks betterfor having lost weight.(UK usage)

   She was the worsefor drink.

   I like herfor lots of reasons.

   • c.1591–1592 (date written),William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, inMr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London:[…]Isaac Iaggard, andEd[ward] Blount, published1623,→OCLC,[Act II, scene v]:

     with fiery eyes sparklingfor very wrath

   • 1867, Frederick Metcalfe,The Oxonian in Iceland, page202:

     "A summerly day for you," said my host; "You ought to be here in winter. It is impossible then to get out of the doorsfor the snow and wind. Ugh! dreadful weather!"

   • 1864, George Etell Sargent,The Story of a City Arab, page313:

     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.

8. In order tocure,remove orcounteract.

   I need to spray my housefor termites.

9. So as to allow (something or someone) to take position.

   Make wayfor the president!

   Clear the shelvesfor our new Christmas stock!

10. In anticipation of.

    Stand byfor your cue.

    Preparefor battle.

11. So as to identify or locate.

    They swept the areafor enemy operatives.

    Police combed his flatfor clues.

12. Over (a period of time).

    I've lived herefor three years.

    They foughtfor days over a silly pencil.

    The store is closedfor the day.

    • 1717,Joseph Addison,Metamorphoses:

      To guide the sun's bright chariotfor a day.

13. Throughout or across (a distance in space).

    I can seefor miles.

    • c.1603–1606,William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, inMr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London:[…]Isaac Iaggard, andEd[ward] Blount, published1623,→OCLC,[Act II, scene iv]:

      For many miles about / There's scarce a bush.

14. Used to introduce a subject of ato-infinitive clause.

    It is unreasonablefor our boss to withhold our wages.

    I don't think it's a good ideafor you and me to meet ever again.

15. On behalf of.

    I will stand infor him.

    I speakfor the Prime Minister.

16. In the role or capacity of; instead of; in place of.

    I used a hay balefor a bed.

    He's got a turnipfor a brain.

17. In exchange for; in correspondence or equivalence with.

    I got five hundred poundsfor that old car!

    He matched me blowfor blow.

    • 1611,The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London:[…]Robert Barker, […],→OCLC,Exodus21:23-24:

      And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give lifefor life, eyefor eye, toothfor tooth, handfor hand, footfor foot.

18. In order toobtain oracquire.

    I am aimingfor completion by the end of business Thursday.

    He's goingfor his doctorate.

    Do you want to gofor coffee?

    People all over Greece looked to Delphifor answers.

    Can you go to the storefor some eggs?

    I'm saving upfor a car.

    Don't waitfor an answer.

    What did he ask youfor?

    • 1641 (first performance), [John Denham], “The Prologue”, inThe Sophy. […], 2nd edition, London:[…] J[ohn] M[acock] forH[enry] Herringman, […], published1667,→OCLC:

      For we would have you know it, / The loſs will fall on us, not on the Poet: / For he writes notfor money, norfor praiſe, / Nor to be call'd a Wit, nor to wear Bayes:[…]

19. By thestandards of, usually with the implication that those standards are lower than one might otherwise expect; considering.

    Fairfor its day.

    She's spryfor an old lady.

    He's very mature,for a two-year-old.

20. Tobe, oras being.

    Don't take mefor a fool.

    • 17th centuryAbraham Cowley,Of Wit

      We take a falling meteorfor a star.

    • a.1705, John Locke, “Of the Conduct of the Understanding”, inPosthumous Works of Mr. John Locke: […], London:[…]A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], published1706,→OCLC:

      if a man can be persuaded and fully assured of anythingfor a truth without having examined, what is there that he may not embrace for truth ?

    • c. 1690,John Dryden,Translations (Preface)

      Most of our ingenious young men take up some cry'd-up English poetfor their model.

    • 1712,Ambrose Philips,The Distrest Mother:

      But let her gofor an ungrateful woman.

    • 1976,Louis L’Amour, chapter 2, inThe Rider of Lost Creek, Bantam Dell,→ISBN:

      They knew himfor a stranger.

21. (usually in the phrase 'for all')Despite,in spite of.

    For all his expensive education, he didn't seem very bright.

    • 1898,H.G. Wells,The War of the Worlds, London: William Heinemann, page113:

      "You must keep your head. There is still hope." "Hope!" "Yes; plentiful hope --for all this destruction!"

    • 1892 August 6, "The Unbidden Guest", inCharles Dickens, Jr. (editor),All the Year Round,^[3]page 133,

      Mr. Joseph Blenkinshaw was perhaps not worth quite so much as was reported; butfor all that he was a very wealthy man[…]

    • 1968, J. J. Scarisbrick,Henry VIII, page240:

      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.

23. Indicating something desired or anticipated.

    Ofor the wings of a dove.

    Ah!for wings to soar …

    And nowfor a slap-up meal!

    • 1599 (date written),William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, inMr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London:[…]Isaac Iaggard, andEd[ward] Blount, published1623,→OCLC,[Act PROLOGUE,(please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)]:

      OFor a Muſe of Fire, that would aſcend / The brighteſt Heauen of Inuention :

    • 1858 March 27, “The Lay of the Brief”, inPunch, Or, The London Charivari, page129:

      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! butfor one short hour, / To whisper a word of love;[…]

24. (in expressions such as 'for a start')Introducing the first item(s) in a potential sequence .

    Go scuba diving?For one thing, I can't even swim.

    For another, we don't have any equipment.

25. (with names, chieflyUS) Inhonor of; after.

    He is namedfor his grandfather.

26. (UK) Due for or facing (a certain outcome or fate).

    He totally screwed up that project. Now he's surelyfor the sack.

27. (chieflyUS)Out of;used to indicate a fraction, a ratio

    In term of base hits, Jones was threefor four on the day

28. (cricket)Used as part of a score to indicate the number of wickets that have fallen.

    At close of play, England were 305for 3.

29. (obsolete)Indicating that in prevention of which, or through fear of which, anything is done.
    • 1609–1612,Francis Beaumont,John Fletcher, “The Captaine”, inComedies and Tragedies […], London:[…]Humphrey Robinson, […], and forHumphrey Moseley […], published1647,→OCLC, Act III, scene v:

      We'll have a bib,for spoiling of thy doublet.

30. (nonstandard)So (that),in order to

    He took the swing shiftfor he could get more overtime.

31. 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.

    to accountfor one's whereabouts    to carefor a relative    to settlefor second best    to allowfor mistakes

Some modern grammars classify the sense that introduces a subject of ato-infinitive clause as asubordinator rather than a preposition;^[1] most grammar books and dictionaries to date, being based ontraditional grammar, classify it as a preposition rather than asubordinating conjunction.^[1]

• (eye dialects):fa,fo,fo',fur,fuh,fer

• against

for

1. (nonstandard, in representations of dialectal speech, especially that of black speakers)To,the particle for marking the following verb as aninfinitive.
   • 1896,McClure's magazine, page270:

     “'Ugh—I'll not be ablefor get up. Send for M'sieu le Curé—I'll be goin'for die for sure.'

   • 1898 December 17, “Mr. Owens' Experience”, inForest and Stream, volume51, page485:

     [It was a] firs rate placefor shoot a woodcocks, I tell you. [...] I say [it] wass no usefor spen money. [...] An I say in "So wass I. I see lot of sy-pokes fly up an twist off like screw-cork an spit whistle, but I wass'nt ablefor get aim on him."

   • 2007, H. Nigel Thomas,Return to Arcadia: A Novel (Tsar Publications):

     "She say that when nigger people step out o' they place and startfor rub shoulders with Bacra, trouble just 'round the corner."

• for to

• Andrea Tyler and Vyvyan Evans, "Spatial particles of orientation", inThe Semantics of English Prepositions: Spatial Scenes, Embodied Meaning and Cognition, Cambridge University Press, 2003, 0-521-81430 8
• “for”, inOneLook Dictionary Search.
• William Dwight Whitney,Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “for”, inThe Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.:The Century Co.,→OCLC.

• 'fro,ORF,fro,orf

for

1. akind offish

• foe,fo

FromEnglishfor.

• IPA^(key):/fɔ/

for

1. for

• IPA^(key):(Central,Balearic)[ˈfɔr]
• IPA^(key):(Valencia)[ˈfor]

for m (pluralfors)

1. tax,rate
2. (numismatics)exchange rate,market value(of a coin)
3. forum
4. (archaic)fuero,tribunal

FromEnglishfor.

for

1. (Hong Kong Cantonese)for; for the purpose of

   隻叉係for食蛋糕嘅。[Cantonese,trad.]
   只叉系for食蛋糕嘅。[Cantonese,simp.]

   zek³ caa¹ hai⁶fo⁶ sik⁶ daan⁶ gou¹ ge³.[Jyutping]

   the fork isfor eating the cake.

2. (Hong Kong Cantonese)for; for the sake of; intended to belong to or used by

   呢個位係for長者坐㗎。[Cantonese,trad.]
   呢个位系for长者坐㗎。[Cantonese,simp.]

   ni¹ go³ wai^6-2 hai⁶fo⁶ zoeng² ze² co⁵ gaa³.[Jyutping]

   this seat isfor the elderly.

   個set如果for三個人食會唔會太細份？[Cantonese,trad.]
   个set如果for三个人食会唔会太细份？[Cantonese,simp.]

   go³ set¹ jyu⁴ gwo²fo⁶ saam¹ go³ jan^4-2 sik⁶ wui⁵ m⁴ wui⁵ taai³ sai³ fan⁶?[Jyutping]

   Would the portion this meal set be too little, if it werefor three people to consume?

• (for the purpose of):愛嚟 /爱嚟

Clipping ofEnglishforward.

for

1. (Hong Kong Cantonese) toforward (a message, an email, etc.)

• 歐陽偉豪 (2010 February 25) “中英見面冊﹕OK勤力、等我load一load”, inMing Pao (in Chinese)

for

1. Mixed mutation ofmor.
2. Aspirate mutation ofpor.

FromOld Norsefóðr, fromMiddle Low Germanvōder(“linen, sheath”), fromProto-Germanic*fōdrą(“sheath”).

• fór

• IPA^(key):[ˈfoˀɐ̯],[ˈfoɐ̯ˀ]
• Rhymes:-oːɐ̯

for n (singular definiteforet,plural indefinitefor)

1. lining(covering for the inside of something)
2. lining(material used for inside covering)

“for,1” inDen Danske Ordbog

FromOld Danishfor, fromProto-Germanic*furai (in Western Old Norse replaced by the variantOld Norsefyrr, fromProto-Germanic*furiz,*furi, =Danishbefore).

• IPA^(key):[fʌ]

for

1. for
2. of
3. to
4. on
5. at
6. before,in front of
7. by

for

1. too(more than enough; as too much)
2. in front
3. forward

for

1. for,because

Seefare(“to rush, run”).

• IPA^(key):[ˈfoˀɐ̯],[ˈfoɐ̯ˀ]

for, fórorfarede

1. past offare.

FromGermanfort andEnglishforth.

• IPA^(key):/for/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes:-or
• Hyphenation: for

for

1. away,far,gone
   • 1998, Henrik Ibsen, translated by Odd Tangerud,Puphejmo : Dramo en tri aktoj‎^[4]:

     NORA (komencas elpreni el la skatolo, sed baldaŭforĵetas ĉion). Ho, se mi kuraĝus eliri. Se nur neniu venus. Se nur ne dume okazus io hejme. Stulta babilaĵo; neniu venos. Nur ne pensi. Brosi la mufon. Delikataj gantoj, delikataj gantoj.For el la pensoj!For, for! Unu, du, tri, kvar, kvin, ses — (krias) Jen, tie ili venas —

     NORA (begins to unpack the box, but soon pushes it allaway). Oh, if I dared go out. If only no one would come. If only I could be sure nothing would happen here in the meantime. Stupid nonsense; no one will come. Only I mustn't think about it. I will brush my muff. What lovely, lovely gloves.Out of my thoughts,Away, away! One, two, three, four, five, six— (Screams) There, someone's coming—

Inherited fromLatinforum;doublet offur andforum. Unrelated toFrenchfort.

• IPA^(key):/fɔʁ/

• Audio:

  (file)

for m (plural not attested)

1. (obsolete)Only used infor intérieur

• “for”, inTrésor de la langue française informatisé[Digitized Treasury of the French Language],2012.

Inflected form ofir(“to go”).

for

1. first/third-personsingularfuturesubjunctive ofir

Inflected form ofser(“to be”).

for

1. first/third-personsingularfuturesubjunctive ofser

• IPA^(key):/fɔːr/
• Rhymes:-ɔːr

for f (genitive singularforar,nominative pluralforir)

1. mud

   Synonym:drulla

2. bog

• forarpittur

Borrowing fromEnglishfar (from). CompareEsperantofor.

• IPA^(key):/fɔr/

for

1. far from,awayfrom

Borrowed fromGermanfort orMiddle High Germanvort(“going on, continuing”).^[1]

for

1. (Gherdëina)always

   Ël stàfor a cësa ―Healways stays at home

   La dumënies jonsfor sa mont ―On Sundays wealways go hiking

   L iefor stat y l saràfor nsci ―It hasalways been and italways will be like this

2. (Gherdëina, withcomparative) to a greater degree over time,more and more

   L vënfor plu frëit ―It's getting colder and colder.

   Ie capëscefor de manco ―I understand less and less

• daniëura(Gherdëina)
• tres,dagnora(Badiot)
• semper(Fascian)

• per for
• for mo
• for inò

FromProto-Italic*fāōr, fromProto-Indo-European*bʰéh₂ti(“to speak”). It is unclear why the verb isdeponent.

• (Classical Latin)IPA^(key):/ˈfor/,[ˈfɔr]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical)IPA^(key):/ˈfor/,[ˈfɔr]

for (present infinitivefārīorfārier,perfect activefātussum);first conjugation,deponent,defective

1. tospeak,talk,say

   Synonyms:effor,inquam,oro,aio,dico,alloquor,loquor

Certain forms were not used in Classical Latin.

¹The present passive infinitive in-ier is a rare poetic form which is attested.

• fāma
• fās

• for inCharlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879)A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• for inCharlton T. Lewis (1891)An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• "for", in Charles du Fresne du Cange’sGlossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
• Karl Gottlob Zumpt, 1846,A school-grammar of the Latin language, p146

• vor,ver,fer,fur

FromOld Englishfor, fromProto-Germanic*fura,*furi.

for

1. for

for

1. for

• English:for
• Scots:for
• Yola:vor,var

• “for,prep.”, inMED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.:University of Michigan,2007.
• “for,conj.”, inMED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.:University of Michigan,2007.

FromOld Irishfor,^[1] fromProto-Celtic*uɸer, fromProto-Indo-European*upér.

• IPA^(key):/ɸor/

for (with accusative or dative)

1. on,over
   • c.1000, “The Tale of Mac Da Thó's Pig”, inErnst Windisch, editor,Irische Texte, volume 1, published1800, section1:

     Boí rí amrafor Laignib, .i. Mac Dathó a ainm.

     There was a wonderful king over the Leinstermen; Mac Dathó was his name.

• Irish:ar(partially)
• Manx:er(partially)
• Scottish Gaelic:air(partially)

• IPA^(key):/ˈfɔrː/(unstressed)
• IPA^(key):/fɔ/(unstressed)

• Audio:

  (file)

for

1. too

   for ung ―too young

   for langt ―too far

• altfor

for

1. for

• fordi

FromOld Norsefóðr.

for n (definite singularforet,indefinite pluralfor,definite pluralforaorforene)

1. alternative form offôr

• dyrefor
• fiskefor

for

1. for

• vestenfor

for

1. past offare.

• “for” inThe Bokmål Dictionary.

• IPA^(key):/fɔrː/

• Audio:

  (file)

for

1. for,because

   Eg joggar kvar dag,for eg vil ikkje bli feit.

   I jog every day,because I don't want to get fat.

FromOld Norsefǫr, fromProto-Germanic*farō. Related tofara.

• fòr

• IPA^(key):/foːr/

for f (definite singularfora,indefinite pluralforer,definite pluralforene)

2. travel
3. footprints

FromOld Norsefor, probably derived from earlierProto-Germanic*furhs.

• fore,fòr,fòre

for f (definite singularfora,indefinite pluralforer,definite pluralforene)

2. (agriculture)furrow

• plogfòr

• får (Norwegian Bokmål)

• fór

• IPA^(key):/fuːr/

for (neuterfort,definite singular and pluralfore,comparativeforare,indefinite superlativeforast,definite superlativeforaste)

1. fast

   gåfórare!

   Go faster!

FromOld Norsefóðr, fromProto-Germanic*fōdrą(“fodder”).

• IPA^(key):/fuːr/

for n (definite singularforet,indefinite pluralfor,definite pluralfora)

1. alternative form offôr(“fodder”)

• dyrefor
• fiskefor

FromOld Norsefóðr, borrowed fromMiddle Low Germanvōder(“sheath, linen”), fromProto-Germanic*fōdrą.

• IPA^(key):/fuːr/

for n (definite singularforet,indefinite pluralfor,definite pluralfora)

1. alternative form offôr(“lining”)

FromOld Norsefyrir.

• IPA^(key):/fɔrː/

• Audio:

  (file)

for

1. for

   Pass degfor snøskred!

   Look outfor avalanches!

2. of

   Eg bur sørfor byen.

   I live southof the city.

for

1. too

   Det erfor langt å gå.

   It istoo far to walk.

2. in favour of

   Eg varfor å bli med i FN.

   I wasin favour of joining the UN.

• innanfor
• utanfor
• utfor

for

1. misspelling offór,past offara

for

1. imperative offòra
2. imperative offôra

• “for” inThe Nynorsk Dictionary.

• ᚠᚩᚱᚨ

FromProto-West Germanic*furi.

• fore

• IPA^(key):/for/

for

1. because of(+ dative)
2. for (duration of time)
   • late 10th century,Ælfric,"Saint Sebastian, Martyr"

     Þa wurdon hi ealle þurh þæt wundor ablicgede and þæs þægnes gebedda ðe þa gebroþra heold wæsfor six gearum for swiðlicre untrumnysse...

     Then they were all astonished at that miracle; and the wife of the officer, who had charge of the brothers,for six years, through a severe sickness...

3. for (for thesake of)(+ dative)
   • c. 990,Wessex Gospels,Luke 9:24

     Sē þe his sāwlefor mē forspilþ, hē hīe ġehǣlþ.

     Whoever destroys their soulfor me will save it.

4. for (on behalf of, instead of)(+ accusative)
   • c. 992,Ælfric, "The Nativity of St. Paul the Apostle"

     Petrus āna spræcfor ealne þone hēap.

     Paul by himself spokefor the whole group.

5. ago(+ dative)

   Hē swealtfor swelċe... twām þūsendum ġēara.

   He died like... two thousand yearsago.

   • c. 995,Ælfric,Extracts on Grammar in English

     Is nū for þȳ Godes þēowum and mynstermannum ġeorne tō wearnienne þæt sēo hālġe lār on ūrum dagum ne ācōliġe oþþe ātēoriġe swā swā hit wæs ġedōn on Angelcynne nūfor ānum fēawum gēarum, swā þæt nān Englisċ prēost ne cūðe dihtan oþþe āsmēaġan ānne pistol on Lǣden, oþ þæt Dūnstān ærċebisċop and Æðelwold bisċop eft þā lāre on munuclīfum ārǣrdon.

     That's why God's servants and monks should be very careful not to let this sacred learning cool or fade in our time, the way it did in England a few yearsago, when none of our priests could compose or interpret a letter in Latin, until archbishop Dunstan and bishop Æthelwold revived learning in monastic life.

6. (Usually in the phraseforeall)for all,despite,in spite of(+ dative)

   Hēo swealt on fefrefor eallum hire dǣdum.

   She died of a fever,despite all her deeds.

• Middle English:for
  • English:for
  • Scots:for
  • Yola:vor,var

seefaran

• IPA^(key):/foːr/

fōr

1. first/third-personsingularpreterite offaran

FromProto-Germanic*fōrō(“trip; wagon”).

• IPA^(key):/foːr/

fōr f (nominative pluralfōra)

1. journey,going,course,expedition,approach;passage,lifestyle, way of life

Strongō-stem:

Variant offearh. FromProto-West Germanic*farh(“pig”). Cognate withMiddle Low Germanvōr(“lean young pig”).

• IPA^(key):/foːr/

fōr m

1. hog,pig

Stronga-stem:

• Middle English:*farow,*fargh(attested only in plural formfaren)
  • English:farrow
  • Scots:ferrae,ferry,farry

FromProto-Celtic*sweseros, from*swīs(“you (pl.)”); compareLatinvester.

• far,bar

• IPA^(key):[βor]

for (triggers eclipsis)

1. your(plural)
2. you(plural; as the object of a preposition that takes the genitive)

For quotations using this term, seeCitations:for.

• sethar

• Irish:bhur
• Scottish Gaelic:ur

• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “2 for, far, bar, uar (‘your’)”, ineDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language

FromProto-Celtic*uɸer, fromProto-Indo-European*upér.

• far

• IPA^(key):[ɸor]

for (with accusative or dative)

1. on,over

For quotations using this term, seeCitations:for.

Combinations with definite articles:

• forsin(d)(masculine and feminine accusative singular, all genders dative singular)
• forsa(neuter accusative singular)
• for(s)na(accusative plural)
• for(s)naib(dative plural)

Combinations with possessive determiners:

• form(“on my”)
• fort(“on yoursg”)
• fora(“on his/her/its/their”)

Combinations with relative pronouns:

• for(s)a(“on whom, on which”)
• forna(“on whom/which … not”)

• Middle Irish:for
  • Irish:ar(partially)
  • Manx:er(partially)
  • Scottish Gaelic:air(partially)

• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “1 for (‘on, over’)”, ineDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language

Probably derived fromProto-Germanic*furhs.

for f

1. furrow

• Icelandic:for
• Norwegian Nynorsk:for,fór
• Norwegian Bokmål:får
• Old Swedish:for
  • Swedish:fåra

• Zoëga, Geir T. (1910) “for”, inA Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press; also available at theInternet Archive

for

1. Alternative form offora

Inherited fromLatinforem(imperfect active subjunctive).

• fôr(pre-reform spelling)

• Rhymes:(Portugal, São Paulo)-oɾ,(Brazil)-oʁ
• Hyphenation:for

for

1. first/third-personsingularfuturesubjunctive ofir

   Quando elefor, avisa-me.

   When hegoes, let me know.

2. first/third-personsingularfuturesubjunctive ofser

   Enquanto elafor viva, merece todo o nosso respeito.

   As long as sheis alive, she deserves all our respect.

Probablyborrowed fromFrenchfor. Alternatively, anapocopic form offoro.

• Rhymes:-ɔɾ,-ɔʁ
• Hyphenation:for

for m (pluralfores)

1. Only used inà for de

Unadapted borrowing fromEnglishfor.

• Rhymes:-ɔɾ,-ɔʁ
• Hyphenation:for

for m (pluralfors)

1. (programming)for loop(a loop that uses a counter)

• “for”, inMichaelis Dicionário Brasileiro da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), São Paulo: Editora Melhoramentos,2015–2025
• “for”, inDicionário infopédia da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Porto: Porto Editora,2003–2025
• “for”, inDicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam,2008–2025
• “for”, iniDicionário Aulete (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital,2008–2025

Borrowed fromLatinforum.

for n (pluralforuri)

1. forum

for

1. pastindicative offara

FromOld Frenchforn, fromLatinfurnus.

• IPA^(key):/fɔʀ/

for m (pluralfors)

1. oven

• IPA^(key):/ɸor/

for

1. (transitive) tohit repeatedly with astick or other object

• Clemens Voorhoeve (1982)The Makian languages and their neighbours‎^[5], Pacific linguistics