How to parse. ...

216

PREPOSITIONS. [Par. 361, 362.

Hence, even where there is no negative preceding,
" for " might be thus used:(10) " I shall succeed (and you will not prevent me) for
all your tricks."
It is fair to say, however, that in Old English
" for" is used in the sense of "prevention," without any negative preceding.'
36 I From the notion of " purpose," " for " came to be
used, even in Early English, with words denoting
future time: -
(11) " I have food stored upfor (the purpose, or need,
of) many years."
(12) " I will repeat the Psalter dailyfor a year."
In the same way, " for" is used of space, with a
notion of motion towards a purposed Object -
(12a) " I am setting outfor Paris."
362 Hence "for" came to be used of time and space,
without any notion of purpose, but with the mere
notion of extension: -
(13) "We have loved one anotherfor many years."
(14) " For fifteen weary miles they plodded onward."
(15) "For a short tinle."
Hence (II.) by Confusion (where there is no notion
of "extension "):1 It has been suggested that " for " might derive a meaning of
opposition from its radic-al meaning of " before," "in front of."
See Shalkspeariau Grammar, page 103.