Meaning of for | Babel Free

Definitions

1. Towards; in the direction of.
2. for (indicates something given in an exchange)
3. Directed at; intended to belong to.
4. through, out, via (indicating movement)
5. In order to help, benefit, gratify, honor etc. (someone or something).
6. across (indicating movement)
7. Befitting of someone’s beliefs, needs, wants, skills, or tastes; best suited to.
8. about
9. To be used or treated in a stated way, or with a stated purpose.
10. due to, because of, for, for the sake of, out of (to express cause or motive)
11. Supporting, in favour of.
12. Because of.
13. In order to cure, remove or counteract.
14. So as to allow (something or someone) to take position.
15. In anticipation of.
16. So as to identify or locate.
17. Over (a period of time).
18. Throughout or across (a distance in space).
19. Used to introduce a subject of a to-infinitive clause.
20. On behalf of.
21. In the role or capacity of; instead of; in place of.
22. In exchange for; in correspondence or equivalence with.
23. In order to obtain or acquire.
24. By the standards of, usually with the implication that those standards are lower than one might otherwise expect; considering.
25. To be, or as being.
26. Despite, in spite of.
27. Indicating something desired or anticipated.
28. Introducing the first item(s) in a potential sequence .
29. In honor of; after.
    US
30. Due for or facing (a certain outcome or fate).
    UK
31. Out of; used to indicate a fraction, a ratio
    US
32. Used as part of a score to indicate the number of wickets that have fallen.
33. Indicating that in prevention of which, or through fear of which, anything is done.
    obsolete
34. So (that), in order to
    nonstandard
35. 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.

Equivalents

Examples

“The astronauts headed for the moon.”

“Run⟳ for the hills!”

“He was headed for the door when he remembered.”

“Wee ſailed from Peru, (where wee had continued by the ſpace of one whole yeare,) for China and Iapan, by the South Sea; [...]”

“I have⟳ something for you.”

“Everything I do, I do for you.”

“We're having a birthday party for Janet.”

“The mayor gave a speech for the charity gala.”

“You, telling me the things you're gonna do for me.”

“I’ll strike⟳ a blow⟳ for you.”

“If having to bag the groceries correctly is more than you can handle⟳, then this isn't the job for you.”

“This is a new bell for my bicycle.”

“The cake is for Tom and Helen's anniversary.”

“This medicine is for your cough.”

“These apples here are for eating. The rest⟳ are for throwing away.”

“I'll buy⟳ something for killing cockroaches. We must find⟳ something to kill⟳ them all.”

“All those for the motion, raise⟳ your hands.”

“Who's for ice-cream?”

“I'm for going by train⟳”

“Ten voted for, and three against.”

“"I'll go round presently, and pay⟳ our friend off." Rather alarmed by this summary action, I was for a little delay⟳, and even hinted that our friend himself might be difficult to deal⟳ with.”

“He wouldn't apologize; and just for that, she refused to help⟳ him.”

“He looks better for having lost weight.”

“She was the worse for drink⟳.”

“I like⟳ her for lots of reasons.”

“I jumped for joy.”

“with fiery eyes sparkling for very wrath”

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

“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.”

“I need⟳ to spray my house for termites.”

“Make⟳ way for the president!”

“Clear the shelves for our new Christmas stock⟳!”

“Stand⟳ by for your cue.”

“Prepare⟳ for battle.”

“They swept the area for enemy operatives.”

“Police combed his flat for clues.”

“I've lived here for three years.”

“They fought for days over a silly pencil.”

“The store is closed for the day.”

“To guide⟳ the sun's bright chariot for a day.”

“I can see⟳ for miles.”

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

“It seems unreasonable for our boss to withhold⟳ our wages.”

“I don't think⟳ it's a good idea for you and me to meet⟳.”

“For you and me to meet⟳ is not a good idea because I'm not eager for it to be a success.”

“I will stand⟳ in for him.”

“I speak⟳ for the Prime Minister.”

“I used a hay bale for a bed.”

“He's got a turnip for a brain.”

“I got five hundred pounds for that old car!”

“He matched me blow⟳ for blow⟳.”

“And if any mischief follow⟳, then thou shalt give⟳ life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”

“I am aiming for completion by the end⟳ of business Thursday.”

“He's going for his doctorate.”

“Do you want⟳ to go for coffee?”

“People all over Greece looked to Delphi for answers.”

“After a split⟳ second of hesitation, the second baseman leaped for the ball—or, rather, stumbled for it.”

“Can you go to the store for some eggs?”

“I'm saving up for a car.”

“Don't wait⟳ for an answer⟳.”

“What did he ask⟳ you for?”

“All this sun spoils me for vacations in the far North.”

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

“Fair for its day.”

“She's spry for an old lady.”

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

“Don't take⟳ me for a fool.”

“17th century Abraham Cowley, Of Wit We take⟳ a falling meteor for a star.”

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

“Most of our ingenious young men take⟳ up some cry'd-up English poet for their model⟳.”

“But let⟳ her go for an ungrateful woman.”

“They knew him for a stranger.”

“I would advise⟳ anyone who does not share⟳ its politics — surely the great majority of gay men and lesbians — to shun NOLAG for the anachronistic zombie it is.”

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

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

“1892 August 6, "The Unbidden Guest", in Charles Dickens, Jr. (editor), All the Year Round, page 133, Mr. Joseph Blenkinshaw was perhaps not worth quite so much as was reported; but for all that he was a very wealthy man […]”

“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⟳.”

“O for the wings of a dove.”

“Ah! for wings to soar …”

“And now for a slap-up meal!”

“O For a Muſe of Fire, that would aſcend / The brighteſt Heauen of Inuention :”

“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! but for one short hour, / To whisper⟳ a word of love⟳; […]”

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

“For another, we don't have⟳ any equipment.”

“He is named for his grandfather.”

“He totally screwed up that project. Now he's surely for the sack.”

“In term of base⟳ hits, Jones was three for four on the day”

“At close⟳ of play⟳, England were 305 for 3.”

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

“He took the swing⟳ shift for he could get⟳ more overtime.”

“to account for one's whereabouts    to care for a relative    to settle⟳ for second best    to allow⟳ for mistakes”

CEFR level