Cur·ry v. t. [imp. & p. p. Curried p. pr. & vb. n. 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.   --Beau. & FL.
  3. To beat or bruise; to drub; -- said of persons.
     I have seen him curry a fellow's carcass handsomely.   --Beau. & FL.
  To curry favor, to seek to gain favor by flattery or attentions. See Favor, n.
  fa·vel, n. A horse of a favel or dun color.
  To curry favel. See To curry favor, under Favor, n.
  fa·vor n.
  1. Kind regard; propitious aspect; countenance; friendly disposition; kindness; good will.
     Hath crawled into the favor of the king.   --Shak.
  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.   --Dryden.
     And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.   --Luke ii. 52.
  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.   --Shak.
  4. Mildness or mitigation of punishment; lenity.
     I could not discover the lenity and favor of this sentence.   --Swift.
  5. The object of regard; person or thing favored.
  All these his wondrous works, but chiefly man,
  His chief delight and favor.   --Milton.
  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.   --Shak.
  7. Appearance; look; countenance; face. [Obs.]
     This boy is fair, of female favor.   --Shak.
  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 
  With one's favor, or By one's favor, with leave; by kind permission.
     But, with your favor, I will treat it here.   --Dryden.
  Syn: -- Kindness; countenance; patronage; support; lenity; grace; gift; present; benefit.
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