Preposition

(English prepositions)

In spite of, notwithstanding.

* 1592–1609 , William Shakespeare, Sonnet III :

So thou through windows of thine age shall see

Despite of wrinkles this thy golden time.

* 1592–1609 , William Shakespeare, Sonnet XIX :

Yet, do thy worst, old Time: despite thy wrong,

My love shall in my verse ever live young.

*{{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)

, chapter=7 citation , passage=The highway to the East Coast which ran through the borough of Ebbfield had always been a main road and even now, despite the vast garages, the pylons and the gaily painted factory glasshouses which had sprung up beside it, there still remained an occasional trace of past cultures.}}

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.