for

UK: weak: /ˈfə^r/, strong: /fɔː^r/

US: /fɔr; unstressed fɚ/

US: (fôr; unstressed fər)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

for /fɔr; unstressed fɚ/   prep. 

1. with the object or purpose of:
   She likes to run for exercise.
2. intended to belong to, benefit, or be used by or with:
   equipment for the army.
3. suiting the purposes or needs of:
   medicine for the aged.
4. appropriate or adapted to:
   a subject for speculation.
5. in consideration or payment of;
   in return for;
   in exchange for:
   The tomatoes cost three for a dollar.
6. as an offset to;
   in response to:
   medicine for your cold.
7. in order to obtain, gain, or acquire:
   I had to work for decent wages.
8. (used to express a wish, as of something to be experienced, gained, or acquired):
   O, for a cold drink!
9. sensitive or responsive to:
   The art critic has an eye for beauty.
10. with regard or respect to:
    I'm very pressed for time.
11. during the continuance of:
    waiting for days.
12. to the extent or amount of:
    to walk for a mile.
13. in favor of;
    on the side of;
    on behalf of:
    My kids are all for saving the environment.
14. in place of;
    instead of:
    a safe substitute for butter.
15. standing for;
    meaning the same as:
    What is the Swahili word for "head?''
16. in punishment of:
    payment for the crime.
17. in honor of:
    a dinner for our guest.
18. with the purpose of reaching:
    Let's start for London today.
19. in assignment or attribution to:
    That's for you to decide.
20. such as to allow of or to require:
    The reasons are just too many for separate mention.
21. such as results in:
    My motive for going is clear.
22. as affecting the interests or circumstances of:
    bad for your health.
23. in proportion or with reference to;
    as compared to others of:
    tall for his age.
24. by reason of;
    because of:
    to shout for joy.
25. in spite of:
    They're decent people for all that.
26. (used to introduce a subject in a to + verb or infinitive phrase):
    It's time for me to go.

conj. 

27. seeing that;
    since;
    because:
    I couldn't see them, for it was almost dark.

for.,  an abbreviation of:

1. foreign.
2. forestry.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

for  (fôr; unstressed fər), prep. 

1. with the object or purpose of:
   to run for exercise.
2. intended to belong to, or be used in connection with:
   equipment for the army; a closet for dishes.
3. suiting the purposes or needs of:
   medicine for the aged.
4. in order to obtain, gain, or acquire:
   a suit for alimony; to work for wages.
5. (used to express a wish, as of something to be experienced or obtained):
   O, for a cold drink!
6. sensitive or responsive to:
   an eye for beauty.
7. desirous of:
   a longing for something; a taste for fancy clothes.
8. in consideration or payment of;
   in return for:
   three for a dollar; to be thanked for one's efforts.
9. appropriate or adapted to:
   a subject for speculation; clothes for winter.
10. with regard or respect to:
    pressed for time; too warm for April.
11. during the continuance of:
    for a long time.
12. in favor of;
    on the side of:
    to be for honest government.
13. in place of;
    instead of:
    a substitute for butter.
14. in the interest of;
    on behalf of:
    to act for a client.
15. in exchange for;
    as an offset to:
    blow for blow; money for goods.
16. in punishment of:
    payment for the crime.
17. in honor of:
    to give a dinner for a person.
18. with the purpose of reaching:
    to start for London.
19. contributive to:
    for the advantage of everybody.
20. in order to save:
    to flee for one's life.
21. in order to become:
    to train recruits for soldiers.
22. in assignment or attribution to:
    an appointment for the afternoon; That's for you to decide.
23. such as to allow of or to require:
    too many for separate mention.
24. such as results in:
    his reason for going.
25. as affecting the interests or circumstances of:
    bad for one's health.
26. in proportion or with reference to:
    He is tall for his age.
27. in the character of;
    as being:
    to know a thing for a fact.
28. by reason of;
    because of:
    to shout for joy; a city famed for its beauty.
29. in spite of:
    He's a decent guy for all that.
30. to the extent or amount of:
    to walk for a mile.
31. (used to introduce a subject in an infinitive phrase):
    It's time for me to go.
32. (used to indicate the number of successes out of a specified number of attempts):
    The batter was 2 for 4 in the game.
33. British Terms, Idioms for it, See in (def. 21).

conj. 

34. seeing that;
    since.
35. because.

• bef. 900; Middle English, Old English; cognate with Old Saxon for; akin to fore¹, Latin per through, Greek pró before, ahead

Synonyms

• 34. See because. 

for-, 

1. a prefix meaning "away,'' "off,'' "to the uttermost,'' "extremely,'' "wrongly,'' or imparting a negative or privative force, occurring in verbs and nouns formed from verbs of Old or Middle English origin, many of which are now obsolete or archaic:
   forbid;
   forswear;
   forbearance.

• compare German ver-, Greek peri-, Latin per- Middle English, Old English

For., 

1. Forester.

for., 

1. foreign.
2. forester.
3. forestry.

F.O.R., 

1. free on rails.

Also, f.o.r. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

for / fɔː (unstressed) fə/ preposition

1. intended to reach; directed or belonging to: there's a phone call for you
2. to the advantage of: I only did it for you
3. in the direction of: heading for the border
4. over a span of (time or distance): working for six days, the river ran for six miles
5. in favour of; in support of: those for the proposal, vote for me
6. in order to get or achieve: I do it for money, he does it for pleasure, what did you do that for?
7. appropriate to; designed to meet the needs of; meant to be used in: these kennels are for puppies
8. in exchange for; at a cost of; to the amount of: I got it for hardly any money
9. such as explains or results in: his reason for changing his job was not given
10. in place of: a substitute for the injured player
11. because of; through: she wept for pure relief
12. with regard or consideration to the usual characteristics of: he's short for a man, it's cool for this time of year
13. concerning; as regards: desire for money
14. as being: we took him for the owner, I know that for a fact
15. at a specified time: a date for the next evening
16. to do or partake of: set aside time for relaxing
17. in the duty or task of: that's for him to say
18. to allow of: too big a job for us to handle
19. despite; notwithstanding: she's a good person, for all her eccentricities
20. in order to preserve, retain, etc: to fight for survival
21. as a direct equivalent to: word for word, weight for weight
22. in order to become or enter: to go for a soldier, to train for the priesthood
23. in recompense for: I paid for it last week, he took the punishment for his crime
24. for it ⇒ liable for punishment or blame: you'll be for it if she catches you

conjunction

1. (coordinating) for the following reason; because; seeing that: I couldn't stay, for the area was violent

Etymology: Old English; related to Old Norse fyr for, Old High German fora before, Latin per through, prō before, Greek pro before, in front

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

for- prefix

1. indicating rejection or prohibition: forbear, forbid
2. indicating falsity or wrongness: forswear
3. used to give intensive force: forgive, forlorn

Etymology: Old English for-; related to German ver-, Latin per-, Greek peri-