Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

World \World\, n. [OE. world, werld, weorld, weoreld, AS.
   weorold, worold; akin to OS. werold, D. wereld, OHG. weralt,
   worolt, werolt, werlt, G. welt, Icel. ver["o]ld, Sw. verld,
   Dan. verden; properly, the age of man, lifetime, humanity;
   AS. wer a man + a word akin to E. old; cf. AS. yld lifetime,
   age, ylde men, humanity. Cf. {Werewolf}, {Old}.]
   1. The earth and the surrounding heavens; the creation; the
      system of created things; existent creation; the universe.

            The invisible things of him from the creation of the
            world are clearly seen.               --Rom. 1. 20.

            With desire to know, What nearer might concern him,
            how this world Of heaven and earth conspicuous first
            began.                                --Milton.

   2. Any planet or heavenly body, especially when considered as
      inhabited, and as the scene of interests analogous with
      human interests; as, a plurality of worlds. ``Lord of the
      worlds above.'' --I. Watts.

            Amongst innumerable stars, that shone Star distant,
            but high-hand seemed other worlds.    --Milton.

            There may be other worlds, where the inhabitants
            have never violated their allegiance to their
            almighty Sovereign.                   --W. B.
                                                  Sprague.

   3. The earth and its inhabitants, with their concerns; the
      sum of human affairs and interests.

            That forbidden tree, whose mortal taste Brought
            death into the world, and all our woe. --Milton.

   4. In a more restricted sense, that part of the earth and its
      concerns which is known to any one, or contemplated by any
      one; a division of the globe, or of its inhabitants; human
      affairs as seen from a certain position, or from a given
      point of view; also, state of existence; scene of life and
      action; as, the Old World; the New World; the religious
      world; the Catholic world; the upper world; the future
      world; the heathen world.

            One of the greatest in the Christian world Shall be
            my surety.                            --Shak.

            Murmuring that now they must be put to make war
            beyond the world's end -- for so they counted
            Britain.                              --Milton.

   5. The customs, practices, and interests of men; general
      affairs of life; human society; public affairs and
      occupations; as, a knowledge of the world.

            Happy is she that from the world retires. --Waller.

            If knowledge of the world makes man perfidious, May
            Juba ever live in ignorance.          --Addison.

   6. Individual experience of, or concern with, life; course of
      life; sum of the affairs which affect the individual; as,
      to begin the world with no property; to lose all, and
      begin the world anew.

   7. The inhabitants of the earth; the human race; people in
      general; the public; mankind.

            Since I do purpose to marry, I will think nothing to
            any purpose that the world can say against it.
                                                  --Shak.

            Tell me, wench, how will the world repute me For
            undertaking so unstaid a journey?     --Shak.

   8. The earth and its affairs as distinguished from heaven;
      concerns of this life as distinguished from those of the
      life to come; the present existence and its interests;
      hence, secular affairs; engrossment or absorption in the
      affairs of this life; worldly corruption; the ungodly or
      wicked part of mankind.

            I pray not for the world, but for them which thou
            hast given me; for they are thine.    --John xvii.
                                                  9.

            Love not the world, neither the things that are in
            the world. If any man love the world, the love of
            the Father is not in him. For all that is in the
            world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the
            eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father,
            but is of the world.                  --1 John ii.
                                                  15, 16.

   9. As an emblem of immensity, a great multitude or quantity;
      a large number. ``A world of men.'' --Chapman. ``A world
      of blossoms for the bee.'' --Bryant.

            Nor doth this wood lack worlds of company. --Shak.

            A world of woes dispatched in little space.
                                                  --Dryden.

   {All . . . in the world}, all that exists; all that is
      possible; as, all the precaution in the world would not
      save him.

   {A world to see}, a wonder to see; something admirable or
      surprising to see. [Obs.]

            O, you are novices; 't is a world to see How tame,
            when men and women are alone, A meacock wretch can
            make the curstest shrew.              --Shak.

   {For all the world}.
      (a) Precisely; exactly.
      (b) For any consideration.

   {Seven wonders of the world}. See in the Dictionary of Noted
      Names in Fiction.

   {To go to the world}, to be married. [Obs.] ``Thus goes every
      one to the world but I . . .; I may sit in a corner and
      cry heighho for a husband!'' --Shak.

   {World's end}, the end, or most distant part, of the world;
      the remotest regions.

   {World without end}, eternally; forever; everlastingly; as if
      in a state of existence having no end.

            Throughout all ages, world without end. --Eph. iii.
                                                  21.

For \For\, prep. [AS. for, fore; akin to OS. for, fora, furi, D.
   voor, OHG. fora, G. vor, OHG. furi, G. f["u]r, Icel. fyrir,
   Sw. f["o]r, Dan. for, adv. f["o]r, Goth. fa['u]r, fa['u]ra,
   L. pro, Gr. ?, Skr. pra-. [root] 202. Cf. {Fore}, {First},
   {Foremost}, {Forth}, {Pro}-.]
   In the most general sense, indicating that in consideration
   of, in view of, or with reference to, which anything is done
   or takes place.

   1. Indicating the antecedent cause or occasion of an action;
      the motive or inducement accompanying and prompting to an
      act or state; the reason of anything; that on account of
      which a thing is or is done.

            With fiery eyes sparkling for very wrath. --Shak.

            How to choose dogs for scent or speed. --Waller.

            Now, for so many glorious actions done, For peace at
            home, and for the public wealth, I mean to crown a
            bowl for C[ae]sar's health.           --Dryden.

            That which we, for our unworthiness, are afraid to
            crave, our prayer is, that God, for the worthiness
            of his Son, would, notwithstanding, vouchsafe to
            grant.                                --Hooker.

   2. Indicating the remoter and indirect object of an act; the
      end or final cause with reference to which anything is,
      acts, serves, or is done.

            The oak for nothing ill, The osier good for twigs,
            the poplar for the mill.              --Spenser.

            It was young counsel for the persons, and violent
            counsel for the matters.              --Bacon.

            Shall I think the worls was made for one, And men
            are born for kings, as beasts for men, Not for
            protection, but to be devoured?       --Dryden.

            For he writes not for money, nor for praise.
                                                  --Denham.

   3. Indicating that in favor of which, or in promoting which,
      anything is, or is done; hence, in behalf of; in favor of;
      on the side of; -- opposed to against.

            We can do nothing against the truth, but for the
            truth.                                --2 Cor. xiii.
                                                  8.

            It is for the general good of human society, and
            consequently of particular persons, to be true and
            just; and it is for men's health to be temperate.
                                                  --Tillotson.

            Aristotle is for poetical justice.    --Dennis.

   4. Indicating that toward which the action of anything is
      directed, or the point toward which motion is made;
      ?ntending to go to.

            We sailed from Peru for China and Japan. --Bacon.

   5. Indicating that on place of or instead of which anything
      acts or serves, or that to which a substitute, an
      equivalent, a compensation, or the like, is offered or
      made; instead of, or place of.

            And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give
            life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand
            for hand, foot for foot.              --Ex. xxi. 23,
                                                  24.

   6. Indicating that in the character of or as being which
      anything is regarded or treated; to be, or as being.

            We take a falling meteor for a star.  --Cowley.

            If a man can be fully assured of anything for a
            truth, without having examined, what is there that
            he may not embrace for tru??          --Locke.

            Most of our ingenious young men take up some
            cried-up English poet for their model. --Dryden.

            But let her go for an ungrateful woman. --Philips.

   7. Indicating that instead of which something else controls
      in the performing of an action, or that in spite of which
      anything is done, occurs, or is; hence, equivalent to
      notwithstanding, in spite of; -- generally followed by
      all, aught, anything, etc.

            The writer will do what she please for all me.
                                                  --Spectator.

            God's desertion shall, for aught he knows, the next
            minute supervene.                     --Dr. H. More.

            For anything that legally appears to the contrary,
            it may be a contrivance to fright us. --Swift.

   8. Indicating the space or time through which an action or
      state extends; hence, during; in or through the space or
      time of.

            For many miles about There 's scarce a bush. --Shak.

            Since, hired for life, thy servile muse sing.
                                                  --prior.

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

   9. Indicating that in prevention of which, or through fear of
      which, anything is done. [Obs.]

            We 'll have a bib, for spoiling of thy doublet.
                                                  --Beau. & Fl.

   {For}, or {As for}, so far as concerns; as regards; with
      reference to; -- used parenthetically or independently.
      See under {As}.

            As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
                                                  --Josh. xxiv.
                                                  15.

            For me, my stormy voyage at an end, I to the port of
            death securely tend.                  --Dryden.

   {For all that}, notwithstanding; in spite of.

   {For all the world}, wholly; exactly. ``Whose posy was, for
      all the world, like cutlers' poetry.'' --Shak.

   {For as much as}, or {Forasmuch as}, in consideration that;
      seeing that; since.

   {For by}. See {Forby}, adv.

   {For ever}, eternally; at all times. See {Forever}.

   {For me}, or {For all me}, as far as regards me.

   {For my life}, or {For the life of me}, if my life depended
      on it. [Colloq.] --T. Hook.

   {For that}, {For the reason that}, because; since. [Obs.]
      ``For that I love your daughter.'' --Shak.

   {For thy}, or {Forthy} [AS. for??.], for this; on this
      account. [Obs.] ``Thomalin, have no care for thy.''
      --Spenser.

   {For to}, as sign of infinitive, in order to; to the end of.
      [Obs., except as sometimes heard in illiterate speech.] --
      ``What went ye out for to see?'' --Luke vii. 25. See {To},
      prep., 4.

   {O for}, would that I had; may there be granted; --
      elliptically expressing desire or prayer. ``O for a muse
      of fire.'' --Shak.

   {Were it not for}, or {If it were not for}, leaving out of
      account; but for the presence or action of. ``Moral
      consideration can no way move the sensible appetite, were
      it not for the will.'' --Sir M. Hale.

Source : WordNet®

for all the world
     adv : under any circumstances; "she wouldn't give up her pets for
           love or money" [syn: {for love or money}, {for anything},
            {for any price}]