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MUSCOVITE Posted 12 years ago
Vocabulary

to cheer for / to root for (a team)

Hi,

(1)
1.1. They cheer for LA Lakers
1.2. They root for LA Lakers

What's the difference between the two?

(2) One of the dictionaries (I have checked for "to root for") says this phrasal verb is an Americanism.
What is the BE for "to root for (a team)" then?

mus-te
  

Top answer

In the UK, to describe someone's general loyalty to and support for a sports team, we usually use the word "support". It may be that, in the US, your sentences mean what we in the UK would say as "They support the LA Lakers". , and hope that they win or succeed.

— GPY

  • In the UK, to describe someone's general loyalty to and support for a sports team, we usually use the word "support".
  • It may be that, in the US, your sentences mean what we in the UK would say as "They support the LA Lakers".
  • , and hope that they win or succeed.
  • However, it isn't used in quite the same way as "support".
  • e.
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3 Answers
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In the UK, to describe someone's general loyalty to and support for a sports team, we usually use the word "support". It may be that, in the US, your sentences mean what we in the UK would say as "They support the LA Lakers".

"root for" is used in the UK to mean support someone in a game, competition, etc., and hope that they win or succeed. However, it isn't used in quite the same way as
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Thank you, GPY!
A couple of follow-up questions if I may....
"To support a team" sounds like a formal (not idiomatic at all :-) expression to me...
On the othe hand, can we say that to "root for (a team)" and to cheer for (a team)" are 100% informal (maybe even slangy?) language?
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MUSCOVITE"To support a team" sounds like a formal (not idiomatic at all :-) expression to me...
In the UK it is normal at all levels of speech.
MUSCOVITEOn the othe hand, can we say that to "root for (a team)" and to cheer for (a team)" are 100% informal (maybe even slangy?) language
In the UK, when used in the UK sense
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