Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

favour

2 verb
     
favour2 W3 British English ; favor American English [transitive]
1

prefer

to prefer someone or something to other things or people, especially when there are several to choose from:
Both countries seem to favour the agreement.
loose clothing of the type favoured in Arab countries
favour somebody/something over somebody/something
Florida voters favored Bush over Gore by a very small margin.
2

give an advantage

to treat someone much better than someone else, in a way that is not fair:
a tax cut that favours rich people
favour somebody over somebody
a judicial system that favours men over women
3

help

to provide suitable conditions for something to happen:
The current economy does not favour the development of small businesses.
4

look like

old-fashioned to look like one of your parents or grandparents

favour somebody with something

phrasal verb
to give someone something such as a look or reply:
McIntosh favoured her with a smile.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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