21 PREP If you say that you are for a particular activity, you mean that this is what you want or intend to do. □ Right, who's for a toasted sandwich then? □ 'What'll it be?' Paul said.—'I'm for halibut.'
22 PREP [with neg] If you say that something is not for you, you mean that you do not enjoy it or that it is not suitable for you. [INFORMAL ] □ Wendy decided the sport was not for her.
23 PREP If it is for you to do something, it is your responsibility or right to do it. □ I wish you would come back to Washington with us, but that's for you to decide. □ It is not for me to arrange such matters.
24 PREP If you are for something, you agree with it or support it. □ Are you for or against public transport? □ I'm for a government that the people respect and that respects the people.
25 PREP You use for after words such as 'argue', 'case', 'evidence', or 'vote' in order to introduce the thing that is being supported or proved. □ Another union has voted for industrial action in support of a pay claim. □ The case for nuclear power is impressive. □ We have no real, objective, scientific evidence for our belief. ● ADV [ADV after v] For is also an adverb. □ 833 delegates voted for, and only 432 against.
26 PREP For is the preposition that is used after some nouns, adjectives, or verbs in order to introduce more information or to indicate what a quality, thing, or action relates to. □ Reduced-calorie cheese is a great substitute for cream cheese. □ Car park owners should be legally responsible for protecting vehicles. □ Be prepared for both warm and cool weather. □ Make sure you have ample time to prepare for the new day ahead.
27 PREP To be named for someone means to be given the same name as them. [AM ] □ The Brady Bill is named for former White House Press Secretary James Brady. in BRIT, use after 28 PREP You use for with 'every' when you are stating a ratio, to introduce one of the things in the ratio. □ For every farm job that is lost, two or three other jobs in the area are put at risk. □ There can be up to 20 dogs for every one instructor.
29 PREP You can use for in expressions such as pound for pound or mile for mile when you are making comparisons between the values or qualities of different things. □ …the Antarctic, mile for mile one of the planet's most lifeless areas. □ He insists any tax cut be matched dollar-for-dollar with cuts in spending.
30 PREP If a word or expression has the same meaning as another word or expression, you can say that the first one is another word or expression for the second one. □ The technical term for sunburn is erythema.
31 PREP You use for in a piece of writing when you mention information which will be found somewhere else. □ For further information on dealing with allergies see pages 30-2.
32 PHRASE If you say that you are all for doing something, you agree or strongly believe that it should be done, but you are also often suggesting that other people disagree with you or that there are practical difficulties. □ He is all for players earning what they can while they are in the game. □ I was all for it, but Wolfe said no.
33 PHRASE If you are in for it or, in British English, if you are for it , you are likely to get into trouble because of something you have done. [INFORMAL ]
34 PHRASE You use expressions such as for the first time and for the last time when you are talking about how often something has happened before. □ He was married for the second time, this time to a Belgian. □ For the first time in my career, I was failing.
35 as for → see as ➋
36 but for → see but
37 for all → see all USAGE for
Don’t use ‘for’ with an -ing
form when saying why someone does something. Don’t say, for example, ‘
for|age /fɒ r I dʒ, [AM ] fɔː r-/ (forages , foraging , foraged )
1 VERB If someone forages for something, they search for it in a busy way. □ [V + for ] They were forced to forage for clothing and fuel.
2 VERB When animals forage , they search for food. □ [V ] We disturbed a wild boar that had been foraging by the roadside. □ [V + for ] The cat forages for food.
for|ay /fɒ re I , [AM ] fɔː re I / (forays )
1 N‑COUNT [oft poss N ] If you make a foray into a new or unfamiliar type of activity, you start to become involved in it. □ [+ into ] The fashion house has made a discreet foray into furnishings. □ [+ into ] …her first forays into politics.
2 N‑COUNT You can refer to a short journey that you make as a foray if it seems to involve excitement or risk, for example because it is to an unfamiliar place or because you are looking for a particular thing. □ [+ into/to ] Most guests make at least one foray into the town.
3 N‑COUNT If a group of soldiers make a foray into enemy territory, they make a quick attack there, and then return to their own territory. □ [+ into ] …a British military foray into Abyssinia.
for|bade /fə r bæ d, -be I d/ Forbade is the past tense of forbid .
for|bear /fɔː r beə r / (forbears , forbearing , forbore , forborne ) VERB If you forbear to do something, you do not do it although you have the opportunity or the right to do it. [FORMAL ] □ [V to-inf] I forbore to comment on this. □ [V + from ] Protesters largely forbore from stone-throwing and vandalism.