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Curry favor   /kˈəri fˈeɪvər/   Listen
noun
favor  n.  
1.
Kind regard; propitious aspect; countenance; friendly disposition; kindness; good will. "Hath crawled into the favor of the king."
2.
The act of countenancing, or the condition of being countenanced, or regarded propitiously; support; promotion; befriending. "But found no favor in his lady's eyes." "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man."
3.
A kind act or office; kindness done or granted; benevolence shown by word or deed; an act of grace or good will, as distinct from justice or remuneration. "Beg one favor at thy gracious hand."
4.
Mildness or mitigation of punishment; lenity. "I could not discover the lenity and favor of this sentence."
5.
The object of regard; person or thing favored. "All these his wondrous works, but chiefly man, His chief delight and favor."
6.
A gift or present; something bestowed as an evidence of good will; a token of love; a knot of ribbons; something worn as a token of affection; as, a marriage favor is a bunch or knot of white ribbons or white flowers worn at a wedding. "Wear thou this favor for me, and stick it in thy cap."
7.
Appearance; look; countenance; face. (Obs.) "This boy is fair, of female favor."
8.
(Law) Partiality; bias.
9.
A letter or epistle; so called in civility or compliment; as, your favor of yesterday is received.
10.
pl. Love locks. (Obs.)
Challenge to the favor or Challenge for favor (Law), the challenge of a juror on grounds not sufficient to constitute a principal challenge, but sufficient to give rise to a probable suspicion of favor or bias, such as acquaintance, business relation, etc. See Principal challenge, under Challenge.
In favor of, upon the side of; favorable to; for the advantage of.
In favor with, favored, countenanced, or encouraged by.
To curry favor, to seek to gain favor by flattery, caresses, kindness, or officious civilities.
With one's favor, or By one's favor, with leave; by kind permission. "But, with your favor, I will treat it here."
Synonyms: Kindness; countenance; patronage; support; lenity; grace; gift; present; benefit.



verb
Curry  v. t.  (past & past part. curried; pres. part. currying)  
1.
To dress or prepare for use by a process of scraping, cleansing, beating, smoothing, and coloring; said of leather.
2.
To dress the hair or coat of (a horse, ox, or the like) with a currycomb and brush; to comb, as a horse, in order to make clean. "Your short horse is soon curried."
3.
To beat or bruise; to drub; said of persons. "I have seen him curry a fellow's carcass handsomely."
To curry favor, to seek to gain favor by flattery or attentions. See Favor, n.






Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48








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"Curry favor" Quotes from Famous Books



... attention he had tried to attract in chapel had told to curry favor, and was reported favorably ...
— It Is Never Too Late to Mend • Charles Reade



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