preference

give (a) preference to (someone or something)

To treat someone or something with greater regard or in a more advantageous manner than someone or something else. The company was taken to court for giving a preference to employees who don't have children. The immigration department announced it will give preference to applicants who have already been in the country for more than 15 years.
See also: give, preference

give preference to (someone or something)

To prioritize someone or something above someone or something else. The recruiter was told to give preference to any alumni who apply for the job.
See also: give, preference

in preference to (someone or something)

Over or instead of someone or something else. We chose to publish Mary's essay in preference to yours because hers dealt more explicitly with the topic we assigned. We've decided to go with a local credit union in preference to a big multinational bank.
See also: preference
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

give (a) preference to somebody/something

treat somebody/something in a way that gives them an advantage over other people or things: Preference will be given to graduates of this university.
See also: give, preference, somebody, something

in preference to somebody/something

rather than somebody/something: She was chosen in preference to her sister.
See also: preference, somebody, something
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • be/have done with somebody/something
  • be rough on (someone or something)
  • be in line with (someone or something)
  • better of
  • (someone or something) promises well
  • begin with
  • begin with (someone or something)
  • bird has flown, the
  • beware of
  • beware of (someone or something)
References in periodicals archive
Regardless of what studies of actual childbearing may show, the current Gallup data show that the underlying attitudinal preference for a boy over a girl, although modest, continues to be a norm in U.S.
Slight Preference for Having Boy Children Persists in U.S
The researchers found that a higher BMI was correlated with greater evening preference (P = 0.019) and with late breakfast time (P = 0.053).
Evening Preference Linked to Higher BMI in Type 2 Diabetes; Breakfast time mediates the association between morning-evening preference and BMI
Overall there were 4.2 preferences for each place for children starting this September At King Edward VI Five Ways School, just 25 per cent of those who put the school as a first preference got a place, while it was 30 per cent at the University of Birmingham School.
First choice of school missed by three-fifths of city parents
It was even harder to get a place at the Royal School, Wolverhampton, in Wolverhampton, with 2.2 first preferences for every place offered, and just 41 per cent of those who put the school as their first choice getting a place.
Region's most over-subscribed schools revealed
Coventry's Sidney Stringer Academy was the hardest secondary to get into, with just 63% of those who put it as a first preference getting a place.
News Half of kids miss out on popular schools; NEARLY TWICE AS MANY APPLICATIONS AS AVAILABLE PLACES
All shareholders of record of the Preference Shares as of 1 December 2016 were issued a make-whole redemption payment of USD1,180 per Preference Share on 15 December 2016, comprising the sum of the most recent dividend per Preference Share, the net present value of future dividend payments that would have been paid through 22 June 2019 and the USD1,000 liquidation preference on each Preference Share, discounted for present value.
Butterfield redeems 8.00% preference shares, repurchases warrant
The Offshore Preference Shares will have a par value of RMB100 but will be issued fully paid in U.S.
Huishang Bank Corporation Issued U.S.$888,000,000 Non-Cumulative Perpetual Offshore Preference Shares
The burden then shifts to the defendant to prove one or more of the preference defenses contained in Section 547(c).
A preference split decision on the new value and ordinary course of business defenses: win some, lose some!
Companies must select a preference management solution, and the options are limited.
Make choice your calling card: preference management enables your customers to choose how, and when, to interact
If we decide and do things "as a society" or "as a nation," then "we" must have some collective preferences that allow us to choose what to do.
Merkel, Thatcher, and the stony minded stone
"This will bring transparency in raising of funds through non-convertible preference shares and create a market for these securities," says Subir Saha, executive vice president, ICICI Securities.
Gaining From Liquidity
To be sure, SWB surveys might be imperfect evidence of preference utility but still better evidence than other sources.
Happiness surveys and public policy: what's the use?
Including second and third preferences, there were 6.2 applications for each offered place, with three second preferences and one third preference getting a place.
Fight for places at top school; more than 60pc of applicants fail to get into prestigious blue coat
Overall, the primary school was put down as a preference 561 times, with two second and one third preference being successful.
Pupils find it tough to win place at top city school; only 30% of applicants successful
Release date- 06082019 - Northam shareholders ('shareholders') are referred to the announcement dated 1 November 2016 ('previous announcement') pertaining to the acquisition by Northam of 4 043 018 preference shares in Zambezi Platinum (RF) Limited ('Zambezi'), ('Zambezi preference shares') for a purchase consideration equal to the issue price plus accumulated preference share dividends ('face value').
Northam Platinum Limited - Acquisition of additional Zambezi preference shares