- （for the sake of something 或for something's sake）for the purpose of; in the interest of; in order to achieve or preserve为了…目的; 为了…的利益; 为了：
the couple moved to the coast for the sake of her health
那对夫妇为了她的健康搬到沿海地区居住
for safety's sake, photographers are obliged to stand behind police lines.
为安全起见, 摄影师被迫站在警方所设隔离带之后。
- used in phrases to comment on the speaker's purpose in choosing a particular way of wording a text or presenting an argument为了便于讨论, 为便于讨论起见：
let us say, for the sake of argument, that the plotter and the assassin are one and the same person.
为了便于展开讨论, 让我们假设密谋者和行刺者是同一个人。
- （for its own sake 或something for something's sake 或for the sake of it）used to indicate something that is done as an end in itself rather than to achieve some other purpose为了本身的缘故：
new ideas amount to change for change's sake.
新的思想会为变化而变化。
- （for the sake of someone 或for someone's sake）out of consideration for or in order to help someone考虑到, 为了帮助某人：
I felt I couldn't give up, for my own sake or the baby's
为了我自己或为了我的婴儿, 我觉得我不能放弃
I have to make an effort for John's sake.
为了约翰我得作一番努力。
- in order to please为了讨某人喜欢：
he'd do anything for me - even killed a man for my sake
为了讨我喜欢他什么都会干, 还杀了一个人
I've spent a long time doing things for everybody's sake.
为了使大家都满意, 我长期以来做了不少事情。
- （for God's 或 goodness 等 sake）used to express impatience, annoyance, urgency, or desperation看在上帝分上, 天哪, 哎呀, 我求你（用于表达不耐烦、生气、紧迫或绝望）：
'Oh, for God's sake!' snarled Dyson
“啊, 天哪！”戴森怒吼道
where did you get it, for heaven's sake?
天哪, 你从哪里搞到这东西的？
for old times' sake
- in memory of former times; in acknowledgement of a shared past为了怀念往昔, 为了老交情, 念及旧日情分：
they sat in the back seats for old times' sake.
为了怀旧他们坐在后座。