ADJ.

big, great | little, small | special | personal

As a personal favour to me, please don't release my story to the press.

| political, sexual

VERB + FAVOUR

ask

I came here to ask you a favour, a big favour.

| expect

Although I am friends with the tennis ace, I don't expect any favours from him on court.

| bestow, do, grant sb

Rodrigo accepted the favours bestowed on him by the new king. Do yourself a favour and cut your credit cards in half.

| owe sb

I'll ask Jane. She owes me a favour.

| return

Thanks very much. I'll return the favour one day.

| seek | obtain | accept, receive

ADJ.

great, high, particular

Traditionally, vigilante groups have found greater favour on the political right. He stood in high favour at the court of Lewis the Pious.

| divine, government, political, royal

In the Christian tradition, the world exists only as an act of divine favour.

VERB + FAVOUR

be in, enjoy, have, stand in

The bishop was said to have enjoyed the king's favour.

| find, gain, win

Her political views have not found favour in recent years.

| curry

trying to curry favour with the teachers

| show

As an examiner, she showed no favour to any candidate.

| be out of | fall from, fall out of, lose

The senior officials were punished and rapidly fell from favour. This idea has long since fallen out of favour.

| be back in, bring sth back into, come back into

A style of art can go out of fashion and then come back into favour fifty years later.

| argue in, speak (out) in

to argue in favour of this policy

| come down/out in, decide in, find in, resolve in, rule in, vote in

The committee came down in favour of setting up a national body. The High Court found in favour of the plaintiffs.

| work in

Environmental conservation generally works in favour of maintaining the status quo.

| go in

The golf tournament went in the Americans' favour (= they won).

PREP.

in ~ of

He is strongly in favour of capital punishment. Early in his musical career he abandoned blues in favour of jazz.

| in sth's ~

This piece of software has two points in its favour: it's fast and inexpensive.

| ~ with

She is too popular with the public to find much favour with the critics.

PHRASES

an argument in sb/sth's

favour

an argument in favour of censorship

| a bias in sb/sth's

favour, look with favour on/upon sb/sth

Depth of training is looked upon with favour by many employers.

| without fear or favour

(= in a fair way)

ADV.

strongly

We strongly favour reform of the system.

VERB + FAVOUR

appear to, be known to, be likely to, be thought to, seem to, tend to

The prime minister is thought to favour an early referendum on the issue.

PREP.

at the expense of

He favoured some individuals at the expense of others.

| over

News coverage should not favour one party over another.