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I read in a book a sentence "Winston made for the stairs. It was no use trying the lift". The understanding seems to be clear. I can think of a man who decided to use the stairs to lift upstairs. There is also a picture of a man going towards the stairs. In such a scenario I can think of it as a synonym for "to head towards".

I tried to make up simple sentences with "to make for", but I couldn't (Let's make for Tim!, for example). That particular context is the only thing I can think of. Finally, I have realized that the concept, the idea behind it is unclear to me.

What does it actually mean? How to use it?

If I was right about guessing the meaning, can it mean something else?

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    Yes, it means what you think - but we make for a place, not a person.
    – Kate Bunting
    Commented Mar 10, 2023 at 9:20
  • @KateBunting don't know why I didn't search in the dictionary in the first place. Thank you!
    – Stone Paul
    Commented Mar 10, 2023 at 11:20
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    @KateBunting - I don't see why I can't say 'When the dog growled the little boy made for his mother'.
    – Michael Harvey
    Commented Mar 10, 2023 at 12:42
  • @MichaelHarvey - I suppose so, but I'd find he ran to his mother more idiomatic.
    – Kate Bunting
    Commented Mar 10, 2023 at 13:04

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It turns out "to make for somewhere/something" is a phrasal verb meaning "to move towards the place".

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    It does indeed mean "to move towards a place", but it usually carries the nuance that the actor is moving in a hurry, and is possibly being chased either literally or metaphorically by a pursuer.
    – Jaime
    Commented Mar 10, 2023 at 12:37
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    I'm not convinced to make for [destination] particularly implies in a hurry, being chased any more than to head for [home]. It's just make [one's way] home, at whatever pace seems contextually appropriate.
    – FumbleFingers
    Commented Mar 10, 2023 at 12:56
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    @FumbleFingers - yes. context can supply any nuance intended. When I start telling jokes, my friends usually make for the bar. When we were out walking in the Lake District, we decided to slowly make for Beatrix Potter's cottage.
    – Michael Harvey
    Commented Mar 11, 2023 at 9:02

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