unfavourable
English
[edit]Alternative forms
[edit]- unfavorable (American spelling)
Etymology
[edit]From un- + favourable.
Adjective
[edit]unfavourable (comparative more unfavourable, superlative most unfavourable) (British spelling)
- Serving to hinder or oppose; adverse, disadvantageous, inconducive, unsuitable.
- Antonym: favourable
- 1863, Henry David Thoreau, chapter 6, in Excursions:
- The shade of a dense pine wood, is more unfavorable to the springing up of pines of the same species than of oaks within it.
- Not auspicious; ill-boding.
- Synonyms: inauspicious, unfortunate; see also Thesaurus:unlucky
- Antonyms: favourable, fortunate; see also Thesaurus:lucky
- 1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], chapter VIII, in Pride and Prejudice: […], volume III, London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC, page 148:
- Elizabeth was now most heartily sorry that she had, from the distress of the moment, been led to make Mr. Darcy acquainted with their fears for her sister; for since her marriage would so shortly give the proper termination to the elopement, they might hope to conceal its unfavourable beginning from all those who were not immediately on the spot.
- 1903, Anna Katharine Green, chapter 6, in The Filigree Ball:
- The fact that the bride went through the ceremony without her bridal bouquet is looked upon by many as an unfavorable omen.
- Of a belief, state of mind, etc.: not favourable; disapproving.
- Synonym: favourable
- 1860, George Eliot [pseudonym; Mary Ann Evans], “Maggie Tries to Run Away from Her Shadow”, in The Mill on the Floss […], volume I, Edinburgh, London: William Blackwood and Sons, →OCLC, book I (Boy and Girl), pages 208–209:
- [Y]et the thing she most dreaded was to offend the gypsies, by betraying her extremely unfavourable opinion of them, [...]
- Of wind or weather: causing delay or obstacles; not conducive to travel or work; inclement.
- 1855, Herman Melville, chapter 17, in Israel Potter:
- The wind was right under the land, the tide unfavorable.
Derived terms
[edit]Collocations
[edit]with nouns
- unfavourable condition
- unfavourable circumstance
- unfavourable weather
- unfavourable climate
- unfavourable outcome
- unfavourable result
- unfavourable opinion
- unfavourable view
- unfavourable impression
- unfavourable effect
- unfavourable consequence
- unfavourable impact
- unfavourable influence
- unfavourable environment
- unfavourable balance
- unfavourable information
- unfavourable report
- unfavourable prognosis
- unfavourable rating
- unfavourable evaluation
- unfavourable review
- unfavourable position
- unfavourable factor
- unfavourable feature
- unfavourable aspect
- unfavourable reaction
- unfavourable response
- unfavourable attitude
- unfavourable season
- unfavourable development
- unfavourable treatment
- unfavourable ruling
- unfavourable case
- unfavourable state
- unfavourable experience
- unfavourable inference
Translations
[edit]serving to hinder or oppose
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not auspicious; ill-boding
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of a belief or state of mind: not favourable, disapproving
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of wind or weather: causing delay or obstacles
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Noun
[edit]unfavourable (plural unfavourables)
- (plural only) Unfavourability ratings, percentage of people in opposition
- 2020 October 17, Éric Grenier, “How U.S. polls got it wrong in 2016 — and why they're more likely to get it right this time”, in CBC[1]:
- As of Friday, RealClearPolitics puts Biden's favourables at 51 per cent and his unfavourables at 44 per cent.