Fā'vor1, n.
n. [Written also favour.] [Lat. favor, from favere, to be favorable; Pr., Sp., & Pg. favor, It. favore, Fr. faveur.]
Sense 1. Kind regard; propitious aspect; countenance; friendly disposition; kindness.
Hath crawled into the favor of the king. Shak.
Sense 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.
Sense 3. A kind act or office; kindness done or granted; benevolence shown by word or deed; an act of grace or good will, as distinguished from one of justice or remuneration. “Beg one favor at thy gracious hand.” Shak.
Sense 4. Mildness or mitigation of punishment; lenity.
I could not discover the lenity and favor of this sentence. Swift.
Sense 5. The object of kind regard; the person or thing favored.
All these his wondrous works, but chiefly man, His chief delight and favor. Milton.
Sense 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 weddings, and other festive occasions. “Wear thou this favor for me, and stick it in thy cap.” Shak.
Sense 7. Appearance; look; countenance; face. [Obs.]
This boy is fair, of female favor. Shak.
Sense 8. Partiality; bias. Bouvier.
Sense 9. A letter or epistle;—so called in civility or compliment; as, your favor of yesterday is received.
Challenge to the favor (Law), the challenge of a juror on account of some supposed partiality, by reason of favor or malice, interest or connection.—In favor of, upon the side of; favorable to.—In favor with, favored, countenanced, or encouraged by.—With or by one's favor, with leave; by kind permission.
But, with your favor, I will treat it here. Dryden.
Synonyms—Kindness; countenance; patronage; defense; vindication; support; lenity; grace; gift; present; benefit.