Definition of "for"

[…] Dismount thy tuck, be yare in thy preparation, for thy assailant is quick, skillful and deadly.

c. 1601, William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night‎, act 3, scene 4

[…] nor is there found, in sea or on land, a sweeter or pleasanter of gifts than she; for she is prime in comeliness and seemlihead of face and symmetrical shape of perfect grace; her check is ruddy dight, her brow flower white, her teeth gem-bright, her eyes blackest black and whitest white, her hips of heavy weight, her waist slight and her favour exquisite.

1885, Richard Francis Burton, The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night

"By means of the Golden Cap I shall command the Winged Monkeys to carry you to the gates of the Emerald City," said Glinda, "for it would be a shame to deprive the people of so wonderful a ruler."

1900, L[yman] Frank Baum, chapter 23, in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Wee ſailed from Peru, (where wee had continued by the ſpace of one whole yeare,) for China and Iapan, by the South Sea; [...]

1631, Francis [Bacon], “New Atlantis. A Worke Vnfinished.”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], 3rd edition, London: […] William Rawley; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], page 1

You, telling me the things you're gonna do for me.

1976, Michael McDonald (lyrics and music), “Takin' It to the Streets”, performed by The Doobie Brothers

with fiery eyes sparkling for very wrath

c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act II, scene v]

"A summerly day for you," said my host; "You ought to be here in winter. It is impossible then to get out of the doors for the snow and wind. Ugh! dreadful weather!"

1867, Frederick Metcalfe, The Oxonian in Iceland, page 202

I could not see his hands, for the thick gloves he wore, and his face was partially concealed by a red woollen comforter; but his entire appearance and manners tallied with what I had seen of Yorkshire farmerhood.

1864, George Etell Sargent, The Story of a City Arab, page 313

To guide the sun's bright chariot for a day.

1717, Joseph Addison, Metamorphoses

For many miles about / There's scarce a bush.

c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act II, scene iv]

And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], Exodus 21:23-24

For we would have you know it, / The loſs will fall on us, not on the Poet: / For he writes not for money, nor for praiſe, / Nor to be call'd a Wit, nor to wear Bayes: […]

1641 (first performance), [John Denham], “The Prologue”, in The Sophy. […], 2nd edition, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for H[enry] Herringman, […], published 1667

We take a falling meteor for a star.

17th century Abraham Cowley, Of Wit

if a man can be persuaded and fully assured of anything for a truth without having examined, what is there that he may not embrace for truth ?

a. 1705, John Locke, “Of the Conduct of the Understanding”, in Posthumous Works of Mr. John Locke: […], London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], published 1706

Most of our ingenious young men take up some cry'd-up English poet for their model.

c. 1690, John Dryden, Translations (Preface)

But let her go for an ungrateful woman.

1712, Ambrose Philips, The Distrest Mother

They knew him for a stranger.

1976, Louis L’Amour, chapter 2, in The Rider of Lost Creek, Bantam Dell

"You must keep your head. There is still hope." "Hope!" "Yes; plentiful hope -- for all this destruction!"

1898, H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds, London: William Heinemann, page 113

Mr. Joseph Blenkinshaw was perhaps not worth quite so much as was reported; but for all that he was a very wealthy man […]

1892 August 6, "The Unbidden Guest", in Charles Dickens, Jr. (editor), All the Year Round, page 133

For all his faults, there had been something lofty and great about him - as a judge, as a patron of education, as a builder, as an international figure.

1968, J. J. Scarisbrick, Henry VIII, page 240

O For a Muſe of Fire, that would aſcend / The brighteſt Heauen of Inuention :

1599, William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act PROLOGUE, (please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)]

Oh! but to breathe the air / By their side under summer skies! To watch the blush on their cheeks, / The light in their liquid eyes. / Oh! but for one short hour, / To whisper a word of love; […]

1858 March 27, “The Lay of the Brief”, in Punch, Or, The London Charivari, page 129

We'll have a bib, for spoiling of thy doublet.

1609–1612, Francis Beaumont, John Fletcher, “The Captaine”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, Act III, scene v

“'Ugh—I'll not be able for get up. Send for M'sieu le Curé—I'll be goin' for die for sure.'

1896, McClure's magazine, page 270

[It was a] firs rate place for shoot a woodcocks, I tell you. [...] I say [it] wass no use for spen money. [...] An I say in "So wass I. I see lot of sy-pokes fly up an twist off like screw-cork an spit whistle, but I wass'nt able for get aim on him."

1898 December 17, “Mr. Owens' Experience”, in Forest and Stream, volume 51, page 485

"She say that when nigger people step out o' they place and start for rub shoulders with Bacra, trouble just 'round the corner."

2007, H. Nigel Thomas, Return to Arcadia: A Novel (Tsar Publications)