Search the Dictionary

To lend aid; to help. With God not parted from him, as was feared, But favoring and assisting to the end. Milton.

A favoring of, or attachment to, the Athenians.

To anticipate, to foretell, or to indicate a favorable or an unfavorable issue; as, to augur well or ill.

To give a favorable turn to in commencing; to inaugurate; -- a sense derived from the Roman practice of taking the auspicium, or inspection of birds, before undertaking any important business. They auspicate all their proceedings. Burke.

Having omens or tokens of a favorable issue; giving promise of success, prosperity, or happiness; predicting good; as, an auspicious beginning. Auspicious union of order and freedom. Macaulay.

; latter portion; third stage. Dr. Preston was now entering into the autumn of the duke's favor. Fuller. Life's autumn past, I stand on winter's verge. Wordsworth.

upy one's time; usual employment; vocation. There are professions, among the men, no more favorable to these studies than the common avocations of women. Richardson. In a few hours, above thirty thousand men left his standard, and returned to their ordinary avocations. Macaulay. An irregularity and instability of purpo…

ities, whether physical or moral; injurious, hurtful, inconvenient, offensive, painful, unfavorable, or defective, either physically or morally; evil; vicious; wicked; -- the opposite of good; as a bad man; bad conduct; bad habits; bad soil; bad health; bad crop; bad news.

A Bartlett pear, a favorite kind of pear, which originated in England about 1770, and was called Williams' Bonchrétien. It was brought to America, and distributed by Mr. Enoch Bartlett, of Dorchester, Massachusetts.

to suffer or sustain without violence, injury, or change. In all criminal cases the most favorable interpretation should be put on words that they can possibly bear. Swift.

To act as a friend to; to favor; to aid, benefit, or countenance. By the darkness befriended. Longfellow.

To make petition to; to entreat; as, to beg a person to grant a favor.

Advantage; favor; stead; benefit; interest; profit; support; defense; vindication. In behalf of his mistress's beauty. Sir P. Sidney. Against whom he had contracted some prejudice in behalf of his nation. Clarendon. In behalf of, in the interest of. -- On behalf of, on account of; on the part of.

A kind or favorable reception or salutation. [Obs.]

To place under the lee, or unfavorably to the wind. Shak.

A blessing; an expression of blessing, prayer, or kind wishes in favor of any person or thing; a solemn or affectionate invocation of happiness. So saying, he arose; whom Adam thus Followed with benediction. Milton. Homeward serenely she walked with God's benediction upon her. Longfellow. Specifically:…

Favorable; beneficent. Milton.

A favor or benefit. [Obs.] Baxter.

An act of kindness; a favor conferred. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Ps. ciii. 2.

Of a kind or gentle disposition; gracious; generous; favorable; benignant. Creator bounteous and benign. Milton.