Preposition

(English prepositions)

Physical positioning.

# On top of; above; higher than; further up.

#* (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow) (1807-1882)

Over them gleamed far off the crimson banners of morning.

#* {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=September-October, author=(Henry Petroski)

, magazine=(American Scientist), title= The Evolution of Eyeglasses , passage=The ability of a segment of a glass sphere to magnify whatever is placed before it was known around the year 1000, when the spherical segment was called a reading stone,

# Across or spanning.

#* (Francis Bacon) (1561-1626)

Certain lakespoison birds which fly over them.

#* , chapter=3

, title= Mr. Pratt's Patients , passage=My hopes wa'n't disappointed. I never saw clams thicker than they was along them inshore flats. I filled my dreener in no time, and then it come to me that 'twouldn't be a bad idee to get a lot more, take 'em with me to Wellmouth, and peddle 'em out. Clams was fairly scarce over that side of the bay and ought to fetch a fair price.}}

#* {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-29, volume=407, issue=8842, page=72-3, magazine=(The Economist)

, title= A punch in the gut , passage=Mostly, the microbiome is beneficial. It helps with digestion and enables people to extract a lot more calories from their food than would otherwise be possible. Research over the past few years, however, has implicated it in diseases from atherosclerosis to asthma to autism.}}

# In such a way as to cover.

# From one physical position to another via an obstacle that must be traversed vertically, first upwards and then downwards.

By comparison.

# More than; to a greater degree.

# Beyond; past; exceeding; too much or too far.

# (label) As compared to.

(label) Divided by.

Finished with; done with; from one state to another via a hindrance that must be solved or defeated; or via a third state that represents a significant difference from the first two.

While]] using, (especially) while [[consume, consuming.

* 1990 , (Seymour Chatman), Coming to Terms , , ISBN 0801497361, page 100[http://books.google.com/books?id=loD1JXOtmTYC&pg=PA100&dq=relax]:

Six diners in business clothes—five attractive young women and a balding middle-aged man—relax over cigarettes.

* 1998 , Marian Swerdlow, Underground Woman , , ISBN 1566396107, page 88 [http://books.google.com/books?id=jIK3DGkOwYkC&pg=PA88&dq=croissants]:

Sunday had been my favorite day at Woodlawn. A long W.A.A. [="work as assigned" period], having coffee and croissants with Mark over the Sunday Times .

* 2009 , Sara Pennypacker, The Great Egyptian Grave Robbery , , ISBN 9780545207867, page 79:

Over meatloaf and mashed potatoes (being careful not to talk with his mouth full), Stanley told about his adventure.

Concerning or regarding.

* {{quote-magazine, date=2013-08-10, volume=408, issue=8848, magazine=(The Economist)

, title= Can China clean up fast enough? , passage=It has jailed environmental activists and is planning to limit the power of judicial oversight by handing a state-approved body a monopoly over bringing environmental lawsuits.}}

Above, implying superiority after a contest; in spite of; notwithstanding.

Preposition

(English prepositions)

Towards.

The astronauts headed for the moon.

Directed at, intended to belong to.

I have something for you.

Supporting (opposite of against ).

All those for the motion raise your hands.

Because of.

He wouldn't apologize; and just for that, she refused to help him.

(UK usage) He looks better for having lost weight.

She was the worse for drink.

* Shakespeare

with fiery eyes sparkling for very wrath

Over a period of time.

They fought for days over a silly pencil.

* Garth

To guide the sun's bright chariot for a day.

Throughout an extent of space.

* Shakespeare

For many miles about / There's scarce a bush.

On behalf of.

I will stand in for him.

Instead of, or in place of.

* Bible, Exodus xxi. 23, 24

And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for' life, eye '''for''' eye, tooth '''for''' tooth, hand '''for''' hand, foot ' for foot.

In order to obtain or acquire.

I am aiming for completion by the end of business Thursday.

He's going for his doctorate.

Do you want to go for coffee?

People all over Greece looked to Delphi for answers.

Can you go to the store for some eggs?

I'm saving up for a car.

Don't wait for an answer.

What did he ask you for ?

* Denham

He writes not for' money, nor ' for praise.

In the direction of:

Run for the hills!

He was headed for the door when he remembered.

* Francis Bacon

We sailed from Peru for China and Japan.

By the standards of, usually with the implication of those standards being lower than one might otherwise expect.

Fair for its day.

She's spry for an old lady.

Despite, in spite of.

* 1892 August 6, , "The Unbidden Guest", in All the Year Round , ^] [http://books.google.com/books?id=XNwRAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA133&dq=%22but+for%22 page 133,

Mr. Joseph Blenkinshaw was perhaps not worth quite so much as was reported; but for all that he was a very wealthy man

* 1968 , J. J. Scarisbrick, Henry VIII (page 240)

For all his faults, there had been something lofty and great about him - as a judge, as a patron of education, as a builder, as an international figure.

For that to happen now is incredibly unlikely.'' (=''It is incredibly unlikely that that will happen now. )

All I want is for you to be happy.'' (=''All I want is that you be happy. )

(chiefly, US) Out of;

(cricket) (used as part of a score to indicate the number of wickets that have fallen)

Indicating that in the character of or as being which anything is regarded or treated; to be, or as being.

* Cowley

We take a falling meteor for a star.

* John Locke

If a man can be fully assured of anything for' a truth, without having examined, what is there that he may not embrace ' for true?

* Dryden

Most of our ingenious young men take up some cry'd-up English poet for their model.

* Philips

But let her go for an ungrateful woman.

See the entry for the phrasal verb.

(obsolete) Indicating that in prevention of which, or through fear of which, anything is done.

* Beaumont and Fletcher

We'll have a bib, for spoiling of thy doublet.