Meaning of for in English

for

preposition

strong /fɔːr/ weak /fər/ us

strong /fɔːr/ weak /fɚ/

for preposition (INTENDED FOR)

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intended to be given to:

There's a phone message for you.

I'd better buy something for the new baby.

There's a prize for the fastest three runners in each category.

More examplesFewer examples

We're having a collection for Tom's retirement present.
Your shoes will be repaired and ready for you to collect on Thursday.
A young girl came up to me and asked for money.
There's a letter for you on the table.
There'll be a prize for the best entry.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Belongings and possessions

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for preposition (PURPOSE)

having the purpose of:

There's a sign there saying "boats for hire".

This pool is for the use of hotel guests only.

I'm sorry, the books are not for sale.

They've invited us for dinner on Saturday.

Everyone in the office is contributing money for his leaving present.

I need some money for tonight.

Which vitamins should you take for (= in order to cure) skin problems?

Put those clothes in a pile for washing (= so that they can be washed).

More examplesFewer examples

I need some money for tonight.
There are several plots of land for sale.
We had some friends round for lunch yesterday.
The polish is not for use on wooden surfaces.
Don't take the game too seriously, it's just for fun.

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Goals and purposes

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for preposition (BECAUSE OF)

because of or as a result of something:

I'm feeling all the better for my holiday.

"How are you?" "Fine, and all the better for seeing you!"

She did 15 years in prison for murder.

I don't eat meat for various reasons.

I couldn't see for the tears in my eyes.

The things you do for love!

He's widely disliked in the company for his arrogance.

She couldn't talk for coughing (= she was coughing too much to talk).

Scotland is famous for its spectacular countryside.

He's best remembered for his novels.

I didn't say anything for fear of (= because I was frightened of) offending him.

if it wasn't/weren't for (also if it hadn't been for)

without:

If it wasn't for the life jacket, I would have drowned.

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The pitcher is famous for the speed of his delivery.
He decided to forsake politics for journalism.
Coppola garnered several Oscar awards for 'The Godfather'.
I think he's trying to get back at her for those remarks she made in the meeting.
She was publicly acclaimed for her contribution to the discovery.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Linguistics: connecting words which introduce a cause or reason

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for preposition (TIME/DISTANCE)

used to show an amount of time or distance:

We walked for miles.

She's out of the office for a few days next week.

I'm just going to lie down for an hour or so.

I haven't played tennis for years.

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We get cut-rate electricity for six hours each night.
Mr Black has been a client of this firm for many years.
The network will be down for an hour for routine maintenance.
I feel like I've been cooped up in this flat for days.
It feels like we've been walking for miles.

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Describing when something happened or will happen

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for preposition (OCCASION)

on the occasion of or at the time of:

What did you buy him for Christmas?

I'd like an appointment with the doctor for some time this week.

We're having a party for Jim's 60th birthday.

I've booked a table at the restaurant for nine o'clock.

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They planned a special celebration for her homecoming.
They're making the most elaborate preparations for the wedding.

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Describing when something happened or will happen

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for preposition (COMPARING)

used for comparing one thing with others of the same type:

She's very mature for her age.

For every two people in favour of the law there are three against.

The winter has been unusually cold for Florida.

It was a difficult decision, especially for a child.

For a man of his wealth he's not exactly generous.

More examplesFewer examples

She's rather immature for her age, don't you think?
For every two people in favour of the law there are three against.
For a man of his wealth he's not exactly generous.
He plays very well for a beginner.
Can I swap this t-shirt for another one?

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Comparing and contrasting

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for preposition (RESPONSIBILITY)

used to say whose responsibility something is:

She knew the driver of the other car was not responsible for her son's death.

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Duty, obligation and responsibility

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for preposition (SUPPORT)

in support of or in agreement with:

I voted for the Greens at the last election.

Those voting for the motion, 96, and those voting against, 54.

Most of the Republicans voted for the measure.

So let's hear some applause for these talented young performers.

Who's for (= who wants to play) tennis?

be all for something

to approve of or support something very much:

I've got nothing against change - I'm all for it.

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I'm all for making changes to the system.
Are you for or against the new proposals?
Who will you be voting for at the next election?
Three cheers for the winner!
Anyone for coffee?

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Backing, supporting & defending

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for preposition (HELP)

in order to help someone:

Let me carry those bags for you.

Hello, what can I do for you?

My sister will take care of the dog for us while we're away.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Helping and co-operating

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for preposition (IN RELATION TO)

in relation to someone or something:

Her feelings for him had changed.

He felt nothing but contempt for her.

I've got a lot of admiration for people who do that sort of work.

He's quite good-looking but he's too short for me.

The ice-cream was a little bit sweet for me.

That jacket looks a little big for you.

as for Jackie's already left and, as for me, I'm going at the end of the month.

Luckily for me (= I was lucky), I already had another job.

How are you doing for money/time (= do you have enough money/time)?

for all

despite:

For all her qualifications, she's still useless at the job.

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The children had a lot of respect for their teacher.
Her feelings for him had changed.
Police are still looking for clues in their search for the missing girl.
He had a deep affection for his aunt.
She was afraid for her children.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Linking and relating

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for preposition (PAYMENT)

(getting) in exchange:

How much did you pay for your glasses?

I've sponsored her £1 for every mile that she runs.

She sold the house for a lot of money.

The mechanic said he'd repair my car for £300.

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How much did you pay for the tickets?
I've got £20 000 worth of cover for the contents of my house.
£4 for an orange juice? That's just daylight robbery!
A collector would pay $500 for a mint copy.
The company pays £220 a week for people to act as couriers.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Paying money

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for preposition (REPRESENTING)

being employed by or representing a company, country, etc.:

She works for a charity.

He swam for the United States in the 2000 Olympics.

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He plays for Manchester United.
Many people in the town used to work for the steel company.
She's been capped for Scotland nine times.
I've been out canvassing for the Labour Party every evening this week.
Do you still work for the government?

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Replacing and exchanging

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for preposition (TOWARDS)

towards; in the direction of:

They looked as if they were heading for the train station.

Just follow signs for the museum.

This time tomorrow we'll be setting off for the States.

It says this train is for (= going to stop at) Birmingham and Coventry only.

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Follow the signs for the train station.
They were running for the bus.
The roads were busy with people heading for the coast.
The team was on course for victory.
The alarm sent people scrambling for the exits.

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Describing movement towards

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for preposition (MEANING)

showing meaning:

What's the Spanish word for "vegetarian"?

stand for What does the "M.J." stand for? Maria José?

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What's that symbol for?
LCD stands for liquid crystal display.
We had to learn chemical formulae at school, but I can only remember H2O for water.
The green light is for go.
Alpha is used for the letter A.

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Meaning & significance

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for preposition (TO GET)

in order to get or achieve:

I hate waiting for public transport.

I had to run for the bus.

Did you send off for details of the competition?

I've applied for a job with another computer company.

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He wrote off for more information.
The film was nominated for an Academy Award.
I've applied for several jobs since leaving university.
You have to get there early for the best seats.
50 percent is needed for a pass.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Goals and purposes

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for preposition (DUTY)

the duty or responsibility of:

As to whether you should marry him - that's for you to decide.

It's not for me to tell her what she should do with her life.

"How many people should I invite to the party?" "It's not really for me to say."

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Duty, obligation and responsibility

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for preposition (IN TROUBLE)

for it UK informal (mainly US in for it)

in trouble:

You'll be for it when she finds out!

Grammar

For

For is usually a preposition and sometimes a conjunction. …

For: purpose

We use for to talk about a purpose or a reason for something: …

For someone

We often use for to introduce the person or people receiving something: …

For: duration

We use for with a period of time to refer to duration (how long something lasts): …

For: exchange

We use for to refer to an exchange: …

For meaning because

We sometimes use for as a conjunction meaning ‘because’. We use it in very formal, and often literary, contexts: …

For in multi-word verbs

We often combine for with a verb to form a multi-word verb: …

For + -ing

We use for + the -ing form of a verb to talk about the function of something or how something is used: …

For + -ing: function

We use for + the -ing form of a verb to talk about the function of something or how something is used: …

For + -ing: reason

We use for + the -ing form of a verb to refer to the reason for something: …

For + -ing or to + infinitive?

We don’t use for + -ing to express our purpose or intention. We use to + infinitive: …

During or for?

We use during to say when something happens, if it happens in or over a period of time. We use for to talk about the length of time something lasts. …

For or since?

We use for with a period of time in the past, present or future. …

Idioms

for all someone cares/knows
that/there's ... for you
what ... for?

for

conjunction

old-fashioned or literary

strong /fɔːr/ weak /fər/ us

strong /fɔːr/ weak /fɚ/

for conjunction (BECAUSE)

because; as:

She remained silent, for her heart was heavy and her spirits low.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Linguistics: connecting words which introduce a cause or reason

See more results »

Grammar

For

For is usually a preposition and sometimes a conjunction. …

For: purpose

We use for to talk about a purpose or a reason for something: …

For someone

We often use for to introduce the person or people receiving something: …

For: duration

We use for with a period of time to refer to duration (how long something lasts): …

For: exchange

We use for to refer to an exchange: …

For meaning because

We sometimes use for as a conjunction meaning ‘because’. We use it in very formal, and often literary, contexts: …

For in multi-word verbs

We often combine for with a verb to form a multi-word verb: …

(Definition of for from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

for | American Dictionary

for

preposition

/fɔr, fər/

for preposition (TO BE GIVEN)

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intended to be given to:

There’s a phone message for you on your desk.

There will be a prize for the best costume at the party.

for preposition (PURPOSE)

having the purpose of:

What do you imagine he uses this old thing for?

Why don’t you take an aspirin for your headache (= to stop it)?

for preposition (BECAUSE OF)

because of; as a result of (doing something):

She was stopped for speeding.

The things we do for love!

For some reason, she isn’t interested in going out at all tonight.

Certain Chicago restaurants are famous for their deep-dish pizza.

for preposition (INSTEAD OF)

instead of; to help:

Let me carry those groceries to the car for you.

for preposition (TIME/DISTANCE)

showing amount of time or distance:

We drove for miles.

She’s out of town for a few days on business.

for preposition (OCCASION)

on the occasion of or at the time of:

What are you getting Mom and Dad for their anniversary?

We’re planning a party for Stephen’s birthday.

The neighbors invited us for dinner (= to eat with them).

What’s for lunch (= what will we eat)?

for preposition (CONSIDERING)

considering (something or someone with reference to things or people as they usually are):

This winter has been mild for Canada.

I think Kristy is very mature for her age.

for preposition (SUPPORT)

in support of or agreement with:

I voted for her in the last election.

We thought about moving, and I was all for it, but my wife didn’t want to.

for preposition (IN RELATION TO)

in relation to (someone or something):

Her feelings for him were obvious.

That jacket is a bit big for you.

for preposition (PAYMENT)

(getting) in exchange:

If I take the car in, it’ll be $45 for a tuneup.

for preposition (REPRESENTING)

representing (an organization or country):

Michael works for a Washington-based foundation.

She carried the flag for the US at the opening ceremonies.

for preposition (TOWARD)

toward; in the direction of:

Just follow signs for the airport once you’re on the highway.

for preposition (MEANING)

meaning; representing:

What’s another word for "happy"?

for preposition (TO GET)

in order to get or have:

I had to wait half an hour for the bus.

Call the phone number below for more information.

for preposition (DUTY)

the duty or responsibility of:

It’s not for her to say whether I should cut my hair.

Idioms

for a price
for a song
for crying out loud
for dear life
for effect
for good
for goodness’ sake
for keeps
for old times’ sake
for one thing

More idioms

for real
for short
for starters
for sure
for the asking
for the better
for the heck of it
for the time being
for the worse
for what it’s worth
not (do something) for anything (in the world)

for

conjunction

/fɔr, fər/

for conjunction (BECAUSE)

because; as:

She told the truth, for she had nothing to lose.

What is the pronunciation of for?

Translations of for

in Chinese (Traditional)

為…而準備, （表示給予的物件）給, 目的…

in Chinese (Simplified)

为…而准备, （表示给予的对象）给, 目的…

in Spanish

para, por, desde hace…

in Portuguese

para, por, por causa de…

in more languages

in Marathi

in Japanese

in Turkish

in French

in Catalan

in Dutch

in Tamil

in Hindi

in Gujarati

in Danish

in Swedish

in Malay

in German

in Norwegian

in Urdu

in Ukrainian

in Russian

in Telugu

in Arabic

in Bengali

in Czech

in Indonesian

in Thai

in Vietnamese

in Polish

in Korean

in Italian

च्या साठी, प्रीत्यर्थ, कोणासाठी तरी देण्याच्या उद्देशाने…

～のために（の）, ～用に, （時間、距離）の間…

(verilen/kullanılan) için, (amaç) belli bir amaç için, yüzünden…

pour, pendant, en raison de…

per a, des de fa, durant…

voor, naar, lang…

கொடுக்க வேண்டும் என்று என்னப்படுகிறது, நோக்கம் கொண்ட, ஏனெனில் அல்லது ஏதோ ஒன்றின் விளைவாக…

के लिए, (किसी प्रयोजन) के लिए, किसी वजह से या परिणाम से…

કોઈના માટે, _ને માટે, _ને કારણે…

til, i retning af, i…

till, mot, i…

untuk, menuju, selama…

für, nach, dafür…

til, for, om…

کو, کے لئے, تک…

для, до, в напрямі…

для, за, из-за…

ఒక విషయాన్ని ఒకే రకమైన ఇతరులతో పోల్చడానికి ఉపయోగిస్తారు, ఎవరి బాధ్యత ఏదో అని చెప్పడానికి ఉపయోగిస్తారు, కొరకు/మద్దతుగా లేదా అంగీకారంతో…

لأَجْل, لِمُدّة, لِمَسافة…

জন্য, দেওয়ার উদ্দেশ্যে, উদ্দেশ্য আছে এমন…

pro, do, po…

kepada, menuju, selama…

ให้แก่, ให้กับ, ไปยัง…

cho, về phía, chỉ khoảng thời gian…

dla, do, za…

-위한, (시간이나 거리의)-동안, (목적)-을 위해…

per, da, per via di…

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footy

fop

foppish

foppishly

for

for (good) luck idiom

for a change

for a laugh idiom

for a price idiom

Meaning of for in English

for preposition (INTENDED FOR)

for preposition (PURPOSE)

for preposition (BECAUSE OF)

for preposition (TIME/DISTANCE)

for preposition (OCCASION)

for preposition (COMPARING)

for preposition (RESPONSIBILITY)

for preposition (SUPPORT)

for preposition (HELP)

for preposition (IN RELATION TO)

for preposition (PAYMENT)

for preposition (REPRESENTING)

for preposition (TOWARDS)

for preposition (MEANING)

for preposition (TO GET)

for preposition (DUTY)

for preposition (IN TROUBLE)

Grammar

Idioms

for conjunction (BECAUSE)

Grammar

for | American Dictionary

for preposition (TO BE GIVEN)

for preposition (PURPOSE)

for preposition (BECAUSE OF)

for preposition (INSTEAD OF)

for preposition (TIME/DISTANCE)

for preposition (OCCASION)

for preposition (CONSIDERING)

for preposition (SUPPORT)

for preposition (IN RELATION TO)

for preposition (PAYMENT)

for preposition (REPRESENTING)

for preposition (TOWARD)

for preposition (MEANING)

for preposition (TO GET)

for preposition (DUTY)

Idioms

for conjunction (BECAUSE)

Translations of for

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