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)