1fa·vor (US) or Brit fa·vour 
/ˈfeɪvɚ/ noun
plural fa·vors /ˈfeɪvɚ/ noun 1 [count] : a kind or helpful act that you do for someone
▪ do/grant a friend a favor = do a favor for a friend = grant a favor to a friend ▪ Can I ask you (for) a favor? ▪ I drove her to the airport because I owed her a favor. ▪ She's willing to help you but only as a favor to me. ▪ I'm here as a (special) favor to my sister. ▪ Don't do me any favors. I don't need your help. ▪ I've learned to be grateful for small favors. ▪ He treats them well, and they return the favor. [=they also treat him well] ▪ Do me a favor [=do what I want you to do; do what you should do] and get home on time for once. ▪ You can do yourself a favor [=you can make things easier for yourself] by arriving early at the airport. ▪ The company made campaign donations in exchange/return for political favors. [=political acts/decisions that helped the company] ▪ He was arrested for soliciting sexual favors [=sex acts done in exchange for something, such as money] from a prostitute. 2 [noncount] a : approval, support, or popularity
▪ Her ideas have found/gained favor with many young people. [=many young people like/support her ideas] ▪ He's trying to earn the boss's favor by working late. ▪ Her theories have lost favor. = Her theories have fallen from favor. = Her theories are no longer in favor. = Her theories are now out of favor. [=they are no longer popular] ▪ a style that has come into favor [=become popular] ▪ The committee looks with favor on the project. [=the committee regards the project favorably; the committee likes and approves of the project]
b : preference for one person, group, etc., over another
▪ The judge showed favor for/toward the defendant. ▪ The students naturally showed favor toward their own school's team. 3 [count] US : a small gift given to the people who come to a party : party favor
▪ Small boxes of candy were given out as favors at the wedding.
▪ do/grant a friend a favor = do a favor for a friend = grant a favor to a friend ▪ Can I ask you (for) a favor? ▪ I drove her to the airport because I owed her a favor. ▪ She's willing to help you but only as a favor to me. ▪ I'm here as a (special) favor to my sister. ▪ Don't do me any favors. I don't need your help. ▪ I've learned to be grateful for small favors. ▪ He treats them well, and they return the favor. [=they also treat him well] ▪ Do me a favor [=do what I want you to do; do what you should do] and get home on time for once. ▪ You can do yourself a favor [=you can make things easier for yourself] by arriving early at the airport. ▪ The company made campaign donations in exchange/return for political favors. [=political acts/decisions that helped the company] ▪ He was arrested for soliciting sexual favors [=sex acts done in exchange for something, such as money] from a prostitute.
▪ Her ideas have found/gained favor with many young people. [=many young people like/support her ideas] ▪ He's trying to earn the boss's favor by working late. ▪ Her theories have lost favor. = Her theories have fallen from favor. = Her theories are no longer in favor. = Her theories are now out of favor. [=they are no longer popular] ▪ a style that has come into favor [=become popular] ▪ The committee looks with favor on the project. [=the committee regards the project favorably; the committee likes and approves of the project]
b : preference for one person, group, etc., over another
▪ The judge showed favor for/toward the defendant. ▪ The students naturally showed favor toward their own school's team.
▪ Small boxes of candy were given out as favors at the wedding.
curry favor — see 2curry
in favor of 1 : wanting or approving of (something)
▪ All in favor of (having) a party [=everyone who wants to have a party], raise your hands. ▪ Not surprisingly, most voters are in favor of the tax cuts. ▪ a politician who is in favor of the death penalty 2 : in a way that tries to persuade people to support (something)
▪ He argued in favor of the tax cuts. [=he argued for the tax cuts] 3 : choosing (something) instead of something else : preferring (something)
▪ She turned down the scholarship in favor of a pro career. ▪ The original proposal was rejected in favor of a new design. 4 : in support of (someone) : in a way that helps or benefits (someone)
▪ The judge ruled in favor of the defendant.
▪ All in favor of (having) a party [=everyone who wants to have a party], raise your hands. ▪ Not surprisingly, most voters are in favor of the tax cuts. ▪ a politician who is in favor of the death penalty
▪ He argued in favor of the tax cuts. [=he argued for the tax cuts]
▪ She turned down the scholarship in favor of a pro career. ▪ The original proposal was rejected in favor of a new design.
▪ The judge ruled in favor of the defendant.
in someone's favor 1 : in support of (someone) : in a way that helps or benefits (someone)
▪ We hope the final decision will be in our favor. ▪ The judge ruled in our favor. 2 : in a state of being liked or approved of by (someone)
▪ She did extra work to get back in the teacher's favor.
▪ We hope the final decision will be in our favor. ▪ The judge ruled in our favor.
▪ She did extra work to get back in the teacher's favor.
odds are in favor
◊If the odds are in your favor, you are likely to win or succeed.
▪ We don't know what the decision will be, but we think the odds are in our favor. ◊If the odds are in favor of something, that thing is likely to happen.
▪ The odds are in favor of a major storm this weekend.
▪ We don't know what the decision will be, but we think the odds are in our favor. ◊If the odds are in favor of something, that thing is likely to happen.
▪ The odds are in favor of a major storm this weekend.
