[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/for.html) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / for [← F](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/F/) # for «for» in Mova's school dictionary: **meant for: a present for Mum** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it. ### part of speech preposition; conjunction (old use: for he was tired) ### meaning for a pupil 1) For shows who or what something is meant for: a present for Mum. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/for/#m1) 2) For shows how long: for two hours. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/for/#m2) 3) For gives a price: a pen for 3 pounds. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/for/#m3) 4) For gives a reason or purpose: for fun, thanks for helping. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/for/#m4) 5) For means in support of: Are you for or against? [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/for/#m5) 6) For can mean «as each of»: 3 sweets for every child. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/for/#m6) 7) (casual) «For real?» or «fr» means «are you serious?» or «truly»; «for ages» means a very long time; «for sure» means certainly. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/for/#m7) 8) (formal) The exam voice uses «for» in stiff phrases: «for a period of», «for the purposes of», «for a consideration of» (for a price), «in exchange for». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/for/#m8) 9) For can show who something applies to or suits: "It is the law for everybody." [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/for/#m9) ### sense in the lessons asking for something («ask for the difference»); a price («buys a pen for 3 pounds»); a length of time («5 pages a day for 4 days» = multiply); a share («2 each for 5 children» = 2 × 5); in everyday life «for example», «for sale», «for ever», «what for?», «for now»; in casual talk «for real», «fr», «for ages», «for sure»; in the exam voice «for a period of 4 days», «for the purposes of this question», «in exchange for» ### examples - «How many more … than» and «how many fewer … than» both ask for the difference: subtract. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/for/#x1) - Kim buys a pen for 3 pounds. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/for/#x2) - Ted reads 5 pages a day for 4 days. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/for/#x3) - This card is for you. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/for/#x4) - We waited for the bus for ten minutes. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/for/#x5) - Thank you for your help. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/for/#x6) - We play football for fun. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/for/#x7) - She ran for a goal. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/for/#x8) - Mum bought 2 ice creams for each of us. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/for/#x9) - waited for ages, bus never came fr [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/for/#x10) - «I got 20 out of 20.» «For real?» [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/for/#x11) - Ted peruses 5 pages per diem for a period of 4 days; compute the aggregate number of pages perused. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/for/#x12) ### note No operation clue by itself. Trap: «N a day for M days» or «N per diem for a period of M days» hides equal groups: multiply. «for ages» is a long time, not a number. Do not mix «for» with «four» (4) and «fore»: they sound the same. «for» a price is what one costs; «for each of us» means multiply by how many there are. ### In the corpora - [Being turned down is normal for everyone, and being picked is the reward for trying again and again.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/3-finding-a-job-and-getting-on/3/) - [At the other end of working life comes retirement, when people stop paid work for good.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/3-finding-a-job-and-getting-on/4/) - [Employers often glance at a CV for less than a minute, so grown-ups fuss over every word.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/3-finding-a-job-and-getting-on/7/) - [A job interview is a meeting where an employer asks questions to decide whom to hire; several people usually compete for one job.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/3-finding-a-job-and-getting-on/8/) - [A pay rise is an increase in pay; some come each year, others have to be asked for.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/3-finding-a-job-and-getting-on/12/) ### Trees and pragmatics [Every meaning and example of «for» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/for/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.