for

English

English Wikipedia has an article on:

for

Wikipedia

Etymology

From Middle English for, from Old English for (“for, because of”), from Proto-Germanic *furi (“for”), from Proto-Indo-European *preh₂-.

Cognate with West Frisian foar (“for”), Dutch voor (“for”), German für (“for”), Danish for (“for”), Swedish för (“for”), Norwegian for (“for”), Icelandic fyrir (“for”), Latin per (“by, through, for, by means of”) and Romance language successors (e.g. Spanish para (“for”)), Ancient Greek περί (perí, “for, about, toward”), Lithuanian per (“by, through, during”), Sanskrit परि (pári, “over, around”).

Pronunciation

• (stressed) enPR: fôr
  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /fɔː(ɹ)/
  • (General American, Canada) IPA^(key): /fɔɹ/

  • Audio (GA)

    (file)

  • (General Australian, New Zealand) IPA^(key): /foː(ɹ)/

  • Audio (AU)

    (file)

  • Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)
• (unstressed) enPR: fər
  • (Received Pronunciation, General Australian) IPA^(key): /fə/
  • (General American, Canada) IPA^(key): /fəɹ/, /fə/
  • (New Zealand) IPA^(key): /fɘ(ɹ)/

  • Audio (US), unstressed, in the phrase "Wait for me".

    (file)

• Homophones: fore (with horse-hoarse merger), four (with horse-hoarse merger)

Conjunction

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, 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, in The 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."

Synonyms

• given that, seeing that; see also Thesaurus:because

Translations

Preposition

for

1. Towards; in the direction of.

   The astronauts headed for the moon.

   Run for the hills!

   He was headed for the door when he remembered.

   • 1631, Francis [Bacon], “New Atlantis. A Worke Vnfinished.”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. , 3rd edition, London: William Rawley; rinted by J H for William Lee , page 1, →OCLC:

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

2. Directed at; intended to belong to.

   I have something for you.

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

   Everything I do, I do for you.

   We're having a birthday party for Janet.

   The mayor gave a speech for the charity gala.

   • 1976, Michael McDonald (lyrics and music), “Takin' It to the Streets”, performed by The Doobie Brothers:

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

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

   This is a new bell for my bicycle.

   The cake is for Tom and Helen's anniversary.

   These apples here are for eating. The rest are for throwing away.

6. Supporting, in favour of.

   Antonym: against

   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. (with implied object)

7. Because of.

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

   He looks better for having lost weight. (UK usage)

   She was the worse for drink.

   I like her for lots of reasons.

   • c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, ”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :

     with fiery eyes sparkling for very wrath

   • 1867, Frederick Metcalfe, The Oxonian in Iceland, page 202:

     "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!"

   • 1864, George Etell Sargent, The Story of a City Arab, page 313:

     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. Intended to cure, remove or counteract; in order to cure, remove or counteract.

   This medicine is for your cough.

   I need to spray my house for termites.

9. Over (a period of time).

   I've lived here for three years.

   They fought for days over a silly pencil.

   • 1717, Joseph Addison, Metamorphoses:

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

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

    I can see for miles.

    • c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :

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

11. Used to introduce a subject of a to-infinitive clause.

    It is unreasonable for our boss to withhold our wages.

    All I want is for you to be happy.

12. On behalf of.

    I will stand in for him.

    I speak for the Prime Minister.

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

    I used a hay bale for a bed.

    He's got a turnip for a brain.

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

    I got five hundred pounds for that old car!

    He matched me blow for blow.

    • 1611, The Holy Bible,  (King James Version), London: Robert Barker, , →OCLC, Exodus 21:23-24:

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

15. In order to obtain or acquire.

    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.

    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?

    • 1641 (first performance), [John Denham], “The Prologue”, in The Sophy. , 2nd edition, London: J M for H Herringman, , published 1667, →OCLC:

      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: […]

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

    Fair for its day.

    She's spry for an old lady.

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

17. To be, or as being.

    Don't take me for a fool.

    • 17th century Abraham Cowley, Of Wit

      We take a falling meteor for a star.

    • a. 1705, John Locke, “Of the Conduct of the Understanding”, in Posthumous Works of Mr. John Locke: , London: A and J Churchill, , published 1706, →OCLC:

      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 ?

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

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

    • 1712, Ambrose Philips, The Distrest Mother:

      But let her go for an ungrateful woman.

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

      They knew him for a stranger.

18. (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, page 113:

      "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

    • 1968, J. J. Scarisbrick, Henry VIII, page 240:

      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.

20. Indicating something desired or anticipated.

    O for the wings of a dove.

    Ah! for wings to soar …

    And now for a slap-up meal!

    • 1599, William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :

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

    • 1858 March 27, “The Lay of the Brief”, in Punch, Or, The London Charivari, page 129:

      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; […]

21. (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.

22. (with names, chiefly US) In honor of; after.

    He is named for his grandfather.

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

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

24. (chiefly US) Out of; used to indicate a fraction, a ratio

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

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

    At close of play, England were 305 for 3.

26. (obsolete) Indicating that in prevention of which, or through fear of which, anything is done.
    • 1609–1612, Francis Beaumont, John Fletcher, “The Captaine”, in Comedies and Tragedies , London: Humphrey Robinson, , and for Humphrey Moseley , published 1647, →OCLC, Act III, scene v:

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

27. Used in various 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 account for one's whereabouts    to care for a relative    to settle for second best    to allow for mistakes

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

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

Alternative forms

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

Antonyms

• against

Derived terms

Translations

Particle

for

1. (nonstandard, in representations of dialectal speech, especially that of black speakers) To, the particle for marking the following verb as an infinitive.
   • 1896, McClure's magazine, page 270:

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

   • 1898 December 17, “Mr. Owens' Experience”, in Forest and Stream, volume 51, page 485:

     [It was a] firs rate place for shoot a woodcocks, I tell you. [...] I say [it] wass no use for 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 able for 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 start for rub shoulders with Bacra, trouble just 'round the corner."

Related terms

• for to

References

• Andrea Tyler and Vyvyan Evans, "Spatial particles of orientation", in The Semantics of English Prepositions: Spatial Scenes, Embodied Meaning and Cognition, Cambridge University Press, 2003, 0-521-81430 8
• “for”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
• “for”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

Anagrams

• 'fro, ORF, fro, orf

Abinomn

Noun

for

1. a kind of fish

Cameroon Pidgin

Alternative forms

• foe, fo

Etymology

From English for.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fɔ/

Preposition

for

1. for

Catalan

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic)
• IPA^(key): (Valencian)

Noun

for m (plural fors)

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

Chinese

Etymology 1

From English for.

Pronunciation

Preposition

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 hai⁶ fo⁶ sik⁶ daan⁶ gou¹ ge³.

   the fork is for 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 hai⁶ fo⁶ zoeng² ze² co⁵ gaa³.

   this seat is for 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 gwo² fo⁶ saam¹ go³ jan^4-2 sik⁶ wui⁵ m⁴ wui⁵ taai³ sai³ fan⁶?

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

Synonyms

• (for the purpose of): 愛嚟／爱嚟

Derived terms

Etymology 2

Clipping of English forward.

Pronunciation

Verb

for

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

References

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

Cornish

Noun

for

1. Mixed mutation of mor.

Danish

Etymology 1

From Old Norse fóðr, from Middle Low German vōder (“linen, sheath”), from Proto-Germanic *fōdrą (“sheath”).

Alternative forms

• fór

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): ,
• Rhymes: -oːɐ̯

Noun

for n (singular definite foret, plural indefinite for)

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

Inflection

References

“for,1” in Den Danske Ordbog

Etymology 2

From Old Danish for, from Proto-Germanic *furai (in Western Old Norse replaced by the variant Old Norse fyrr, from Proto-Germanic *furiz, *furi, = Danish before).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):

Preposition

for

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

Adverb

for

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

Conjunction

for

1. for, because

Etymology 3

See fare (“to rush, run”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): ,

Verb

for, fór or farede

1. past of fare.

Esperanto

Etymology

Compare Latin forās, forīs (“outside”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):
• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: for

Adverb

for

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

     NORA (komencas elpreni el la skatolo, sed baldaŭ forĵetas 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 all away). 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—

Derived terms

French

Etymology

Inherited from Latin forum; doublet of fur and forum. Unrelated to French fort.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fɔʁ/

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

for m (plural not attested)

1. (obsolete) Only used in for intérieur

Further reading

• “for”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé , 2012.

Galician

Etymology 1

Inflected form of ir (“to go”).

Verb

for

1. first/third-person singular future subjunctive of ir

Etymology 2

Inflected form of ser (“to be”).

Verb

for

1. first/third-person singular future subjunctive of ser

Icelandic

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fɔːr/
• Rhymes: -ɔːr

Noun

for f (genitive singular forar, nominative plural forir)

1. mud

   Synonym: drulla

2. bog

Declension

Derived terms

• forarpittur

Ido

Etymology

Borrowing from English far (from). Compare Esperanto for.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fɔr/

Preposition

for

1. far from, away from

Derived terms

Latin

Etymology

From Proto-Italic *fāōr, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰéh₂ti (“to speak”). It is unclear why the verb is deponent.

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /for/,
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /for/,

Verb

for (present infinitive fārī or fārier, perfect active fātus sum); first conjugation, deponent, defective

1. to speak, talk, say

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

Conjugation

Certain forms were not used in Classical Latin.

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

Derived terms

Related terms

• fāma
• fās

References

• for in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• for in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• for in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium 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

Middle English

Alternative forms

• vor, ver, fer, fur

Etymology

From Old English for, from Proto-Germanic *fura, *furi.

Preposition

for

1. for

Conjunction

for

1. for

Descendants

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

References

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

Middle Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish for, from Proto-Celtic *uɸor, from Proto-Indo-European *uper.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /for/

Preposition

for (with accusative or dative)

1. on, over
   • c. 1000, “The Tale of Mac Da Thó's Pig”, in Ernst Windisch, editor, Irische Texte, volume 1, published 1800, section 1:

     Boí rí amra for Laignib, .i. Mac Dathó a ainm.

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

Further reading

• G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “1 for”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language

Norwegian Bokmål

Pronunciation

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

• Audio

  (file)

Etymology 1

Adverb

for

1. too

   for ung ― too young

   for langt ― too far

Synonyms

• altfor

Etymology 2

Conjunction

for

1. for

Synonyms

• fordi

Etymology 3

From Old Norse fóðr.

Noun

for n (definite singular foret, indefinite plural for, definite plural fora or forene)

1. alternative form of fôr

Derived terms

• dyrefor
• fiskefor

Etymology 4

Preposition

for

1. for

Derived terms

• vestenfor

Etymology 5

Verb

for

1. past of fare.

References

• “for” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fɔrː/

• Audio

  (file)

Conjunction

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.

Etymology 2

From Old Norse fǫr, from Proto-Germanic *farō. Related to fara.

Alternative forms

• fòr

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /foːr/

Noun

for f (definite singular fora, indefinite plural forer, definite plural forene)

2. travel
3. footprints

Etymology 3

From Old Norse for, probably derived from earlier Proto-Germanic *furhs.

Alternative forms

• fore, fòr, fòre

Noun

for f (definite singular fora, indefinite plural forer, definite plural forene)

2. (agriculture) furrow

Derived terms

• plogfòr

See also

• får (Norwegian Bokmål)

Etymology 4

Alternative forms

• fór

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fuːr/

Adjective

for (neuter fort, definite singular and plural fore, comparative forare, indefinite superlative forast, definite superlative foraste)

1. fast

   gå fórare!

   Go faster!

Etymology 5

From Old Norse fóðr, from Proto-Germanic *fōdrą (“fodder”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fuːr/

Noun

for n (definite singular foret, indefinite plural for, definite plural fora)

1. alternative form of fôr (“fodder”)

Derived terms

• dyrefor
• fiskefor

Etymology 6

From Old Norse fóðr, borrowed from Middle Low German vōder (“sheath, linen”), from Proto-Germanic *fōdrą.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fuːr/

Noun

for n (definite singular foret, indefinite plural for, definite plural fora)

1. alternative form of fôr (“lining”)

Etymology 7

From Old Norse fyrir.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fɔrː/

• Audio

  (file)

Preposition

for

1. for

   Pass deg for snøskred!

   Look out for avalanches!

2. of

   Eg bur sør for byen.

   I live south of the city.

Adverb

for

1. too

   Det er for langt å gå.

   It is too far to walk.

2. in favour of

   Eg var for å bli med i FN.

   I was in favour of joining the UN.

Derived terms

• innanfor
• utanfor
• utfor

Etymology 8

Verb

for

1. misspelling of fór, past of fara

Etymology 9

Verb

for

1. imperative of fòra
2. imperative of fôra

References

• “for” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Old English

Etymology 1

From Proto-West Germanic *furi.

Alternative forms

• fore

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /for/

Preposition

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 wæs for 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 the sake of) (+ dative)
   • c. 990, Wessex Gospels, Luke 9:24

     Sē þe his sāwle for mē forspilþ, hē hīe ġehǣlþ.

     Whoever destroys their soul for me will save it.

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

     Petrus āna spræc for ealne þone hēap.

     Paul by himself spoke for the whole group.

5. ago (+ dative)

   Hē swealt for swelċe... twām þūsendum ġēara.

   He died like... two thousand years ago.

   • 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 nū for 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 years ago, 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 phrase for eall) for all, despite, in spite of (+ dative)

   Hēo swealt fefre, for eallum hire ellendǣdum.

   She died of a fever, despite all her brave deeds.

Descendants

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

Etymology 2

see faran

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /foːr/

Verb

fōr

1. first/third-person singular preterite of faran

Etymology 3

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /foːr/

Noun

fōr f (nominative plural fōra)

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

Declension

Etymology 4

Variant of fearh. From Proto-West Germanic *farh (“pig”). Cognate with Middle Low German vōr (“lean young pig”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /foːr/

Noun

fōr m

1. hog, pig

Declension

Descendants

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

Old Irish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /for/

Etymology 1

From Proto-Celtic *sweseros, from *swīs (“you (pl.)”); compare Latin vester.

Alternative forms

• far, bar

Determiner

for (triggers eclipsis)

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

For quotations using this term, see Citations:for.

Synonyms

• sethar

Descendants

• Irish: bhur
• Scottish Gaelic: ur

Etymology 2

From Proto-Celtic *uɸor-, from Proto-Indo-European *upér.

Alternative forms

• far

Preposition

for (with accusative or dative)

1. on, over

For quotations using this term, see Citations:for.

Inflection

Derived terms

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 your sg”)
• fora (“on his/her/its/their”)

Combinations with relative pronouns:

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

Further reading

• G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “1 for (‘on, over’)”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “2 for, far, bar, uar (‘your’)”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language

Old Norse

Etymology

Probably derived from Proto-Germanic *furhs.

Noun

for f

1. furrow

Descendants

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

References

• "for", in Geir T. Zoëga (1910) A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press

Old Saxon

Noun

for

1. Alternative form of fora

Portuguese

Etymology 1

Inherited from Latin forem (imperfect active subjunctive).

Pronunciation

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

Verb

for

1. first/third-person singular future subjunctive of ir

   Quando ele for, avisa-me.

   When he goes, let me know.

2. first/third-person singular future subjunctive of ser

   Enquanto ela for viva, merece todo o nosso respeito.

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

Etymology 2

Unadapted borrowing from English for.

Pronunciation

Noun

for m (plural fors)

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

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin forum.

Noun

for n (plural foruri)

1. forum

Declension

Swedish

Verb

for

1. past indicative of fara

Walloon

Etymology

From Old French forn, from Latin furnus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fɔʀ/

Noun

for m (plural fors)

1. oven

West Makian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɸor/

Verb

for

1. (transitive) to hit repeatedly with a stick or other object

Conjugation

References

• Clemens Voorhoeve (1982) The Makian languages and their neighbours‎, Pacific linguistics