favorite

favorite daughter

A well-known woman, especially a politician, who is supported and celebrated by people in her hometown. Rose was clearly the favorite daughter of her hometown of Bozeman, Montana.
See also: daughter, favorite

favorite son

A well-known man, especially a politician, who is supported and celebrated by people in his hometown. Ray was the favorite son of his hometown of Twin Falls, Idaho.
See also: favorite, son

odds-on favorite

The person, car, racehorse most favored to win. (Used almost exclusively in reference to racehorses in the phrase "odds-on favorite.") As usual, Man o' War is the odds-on favorite to win. I'd say no other horse really stands a chance. Who do you think is the odds-on favorite to win the World Cup?
See also: favorite

play favourites

To give preferable treatment to someone or something one likes or favors more than others. Primarily heard in UK. The teacher is always playing favourites in class, letting the students she likes go home a little bit earlier than the rest. As an MP, I promise not to play favourites with our public services.
See also: play
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

odds-on favorite

the most popular choice of a wager. Fred is the odds-on favorite for president of the board of trustees.
See also: favorite
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

favorite son

A person valued by his or her hometown or organization for his or her achievements, usually political, as in Mary hoped they would treat her as a favorite son and nominate her for state senator. This term was originally employed for a candidate nominated for office by his own locality. Today this usage may ignore gender, as in the example. [c. 1780]
See also: favorite, son
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

play favourites

show favouritism towards someone or something. chiefly North American
See also: play
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • favorite daughter
  • favourite
  • favourite son
  • somebody's favourite son
  • favorite son
  • celebrate for an accomplishment
  • (the) woman of the moment
  • BWOC
  • drag queen
  • big woman on campus
References in periodicals archive
Favorite Small Theatre: Luna Stage Company, West Orange
NJ PAC, New Jersey Symphony lead JerseyArts.com 2019 People's Choice Awards
In 2018, he was nominated for Favorite Male Artist and Favorite Song for "I'm the One" featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper and Lil Wayne.
DJ Khaled to host Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards 2019
My favorite Latina heroines in real life are Dolores Huerta who cofounded the UFW with Cesar Chavez and Frida Kahlo What Latino characters in history do you most dislike?
Jacob Vargas
Melissa McCarthy was honored as favorite comedic movie actress, while Adam Sandler was selected as favorite comedic movie actor.
Downey, 'Big Bang' win big at People's Choice Awards
Timberlake also won favorite male artist and favorite R&B artist, but was beaten in the favorite pop artist category by Britney Spears, who won her first People's Choice award in her career spanning 15 years.
Bullock, Timberlake sweep 2014 People's Choice Awards
The percentage of Americans who say football is their favorite sport to watch (43%) is higher now than at any other time.
Football Reaches Historic Popularity Levels in Gallup Poll; Forty-three percent say football is their favorite sport to watch
All-time favorite Supreme Court justice: My hidden favorite is Mahlon Pitney, who served with both Louis Brandeis and Oliver Wendell Holmes (between 1912 and 1922) and consistently outdueled them on key issues dealing with freedom of contract.
Who should reign Supreme? reason asks libertarian legal experts: Who are your favorites--past, present, and future--on the nation's highest court?
Favorite African American Native Sons/Daughters: Halle Berry, Dorothy Dandridge, Arsenic Hall.
The Black Enterprise African American travel guide presented by Allstate
One of Rohrbacher's favorite subjects is Mary holding Jesus in the tomb, often called "Do not weep for me, Mother." He's painted it for places that minister to people with AIDS.
Painters anonymous
Favorite day is Wednesday, sort of the glass half full half empty.
Robert Calhoun
Her favorite color is dark blue and her favorite city is Paris.
Future world leaders
Favorite solo: You Haven't Done Nothin' choreographed by Mia Michaels
High stakes and highlights
While Sanchez explored the role of women at court and Allen examined Philip's foreign policy, Feros takes a new look at old problems in seventeenth-century Spanish history -- the role of the privado, or favorite, and the understanding and exercise of power at court.
Kingship and Favoritism in the Spain of Philip III, 1598-1621
English historians have difficulty disentangling the concept of the favorite from the scandalous favorites of King James VI and I.
The World of the Favourite
Survey results include: 68 per cent like to try new recipes; 70 percent sometimes eat a vegetarian entree (half of those do so once a week); 86 percent visit farmers' markets; 68 percent buy organic vegetables; 51 percent chose asparagus as their favorite vegetable; okra was the least favorite vegetable (38 percent); and for the third year in a row, 29 percent chose peaches as their favorite fruit.
How America eats