for
fɔːr
Why 'for two hours' and 'for twenty dollars' are the same word
The picture A hand holds something out toward someone. It hasn't arrived yet, but the direction is already decided. TO crosses over and touches; FOR is still in your hand, held out that way.
Where the picture shows up in for
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held out to a person
This package is for the manager.
ðɪs ˈpækɪdʒ ɪz fɔːr ðə ˈmænɪdʒər
The manager is the person this package is meant to reach.
A label on the parcel points it straight at that one person's desk.
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held out to a job
This button is for opening the door.
ðɪs ˈbʌtn ɪz fɔːr ˈoʊpənɪŋ ðə dɔːr
Opening the door is the one job this button exists to do.
The button faces nothing else in the room, only the door.
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held out along time
I waited for two hours at the clinic.
aɪ ˈweɪtɪd fɔːr tuː ˈaʊərz ət ðə ˈklɪnɪk
My waiting at the clinic stretched across two whole hours.
The waiting becomes a bar two hours long, stretched out in front of you.
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held out in exchange
I bought this jacket for twenty dollars.
aɪ bɔːt ðɪs ˈdʒækɪt fɔːr ˈtwenti ˈdɑːlərz
Twenty dollars went out of my hand and the jacket came back.
One hand offers money, the other offers the jacket, and they swap places.
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turned toward one side
Are you for the new schedule?
ɑːr juː fɔːr ðə nuː ˈskedʒuːl
Is your support pointed toward the new schedule?
The whole body turns toward the proposal and puts a hand out for it.
All of it in one picture
FOR is a hand held out toward something. Hold it out to a person and you get a recipient; hold it out to a job and you get a purpose. Hold it out along time and you get a stretch you kept up, hold it out against goods and you get a price, turn your body and hold it out toward a proposal and you get support. Wherever FOR appears, the question 'held out toward what?' follows.