Adjacent Words

Rather definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

RATH'ER, adv. [I would rather go, or sooner go. The use is taken from pushing or moving forward.] [L. ante, before.] But he said, yea rather, happy are they that hear the word of God and keep it. Luke 11]
1. More readily or willingly; with better liking; with preference or choice.
My soul chooseth strangling and death rather than life. Job 7.
Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. John 3. Psalms 84.
2. In preference; preferably; with better reason. Good is rather to be chosen than evil. See Acts 5.
3. In a greater degree than otherwise.
He sought throughout the world, but sought in vain, and no where finding, rather fear'd her slain.
4. More properly; more correctly speaking.
This is an art which does mend nature, change it rather; but the art itself is nature.
5. Noting some degree of contrariety in fact.
She was nothing better, but rather grew worse. Mark 5.
Matthew 27.
The rather, especially; for better reason; for particular cause.
You are come to me in a happy time, the rather for I have some sport in hand.
Had rather, is supposed to be a corruption of would rather.
I had rather speak five words with my understanding -
1 Corinthians 14.
This phrase may have been originally, "I'd rather," for I would rather, and the contraction afterwards mistaken for had. Correct speakers and writers generally use would in all such phrases; I would rather, I prefer; I desire in preference.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adv
1: on the contrary; "rather than disappoint the children, he did two quick tricks before he left"; "he didn't call; rather (or instead), he wrote her a letter"; "used English terms instead of Latin ones" [syn: rather, instead]
2: to some (great or small) extent; "it was rather cold"; "the party was rather nice"; "the knife is rather dull"; "I rather regret that I cannot attend"; "He's rather good at playing the cello"; "he is kind of shy" [syn: rather, kind of, kinda, sort of]
3: more readily or willingly; "clean it well, preferably with warm water"; "I'd rather be in Philadelphia"; "I'd sooner die than give up" [syn: preferably, sooner, rather]
4: to a degree (not used with a negative); "quite tasty"; "quite soon"; "quite ill"; "quite rich" [syn: quite, rather]

Merriam Webster's

adverb Etymology: Middle English, from Old English hrathor, comparative of hrathe quickly; akin to Old High German rado quickly, Old English hræd quick Date: before 12th century 1. with better reason or more propriety ; more properly <this you should pity rather than despise — Shakespeare> 2. more readily or willingly ; preferably <I'd rather not go> <would rather read than watch television> — often used interjectionally to express affirmation 3. more correctly speaking <my father, or rather my stepfather> 4. to the contrary ; instead <was no better but rather grew worse — Mark
5:26 (Revised Standard Version)> 5. in some degree ; somewhat <it's rather warm> — often used as a mild intensive <spent rather a lot of money>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adv. 1 (often foll. by than) by preference; for choice (would rather not go; would rather stay than go). 2 (usu. foll. by than) more truly; as a more likely alternative (is stupid rather than honest). 3 more precisely (a book, or rather, a pamphlet). 4 slightly; to some extent; somewhat (became rather drunk; I rather think you know him). 5 Brit. (as an emphatic response) indeed, assuredly (Did you like it? - Rather!). Phrases and idioms: had rather would rather. Etymology: ME f. OE hrathor, compar. of hræthe (adv.) f. hræth (adj.): see RATHE

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Rather Rath"er, a. [Compar. of Rath, a.] Prior; earlier; former. [Obs.] Now no man dwelleth at the rather town. --Sir J. Mandeville.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Rather Rath"er, adv. [AS. hra[eth]or, compar. of hra[eth]e, hr[ae][eth]e, quickly, immediately. See Rath, a.] 1. Earlier; sooner; before. [Obs.] Thou shalt, quod he, be rather false than I. --Chaucer. A good mean to come the rather to grace. --Foxe. 2. More readily or willingly; preferably. My soul chooseth . . . death rather than my life. --Job vii. 15. 3. On the other hand; to the contrary of what was said or suggested; instead. Was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse. --Mark v. 26. 4. Of two alternatives conceived of, by preference to, or as more likely than, the other; somewhat. He sought throughout the world, but sought in vain, And nowhere finding, rather feared her slain. --Dryden. 5. More properly; more correctly speaking. This is an art Which does mend nature, change it rather, but The art itself is nature. --Shak. 6. In some degree; somewhat; as, the day is rather warm; the house is rather damp. The rather, the more so; especially; for better reason; for particular cause. You are come to me in happy time, The rather for I have some sport in hand. --Shak. Had rather, or Would rather, prefer to; prefers to; as, he had, or would, rather go than stay. ``I had rather speak five words with my understanding than ten thousands words in an unknown tongue.'' --1 Cor. xiv. 19. See Had rather, under Had.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. You use rather than when you are contrasting two things or situations. Rather than introduces the thing or situation that is not true or that you do not want. The problem was psychological rather than physiological... When I'm going out in the evening I use the bike if I can rather than the car. PREP-PHRASE • Rather is also a conjunction. She made students think for themselves, rather than telling them what to think... CONJ 2. You use rather when you are correcting something that you have just said, especially when you are describing a particular situation after saying what it is not. He explained what the Crux is, or rather, what it was. ADV: ADV with cl/group 3. If you say that you would rather do something or you'd rather do it, you mean that you would prefer to do it. If you say that you would rather not do something, you mean that you do not want to do it. If it's all the same to you, I'd rather work at home... Kids would rather play than study... I would rather Lionel took it on... Sorry. I'd rather not talk about it... Would you like that? Don't hesitate to say no if you'd rather not. PHRASE: MODAL inf, MODAL inf than inf, MODAL that, MODAL not inf, MODAL not 4. You use rather to indicate that something is true to a fairly great extent, especially when you are talking about something unpleasant or undesirable. I grew up in rather unusual circumstances... The first speaker began to talk, very fast and rather loudly... I'm afraid it's rather a long story... The reality is rather more complex... The fruit is rather like a sweet chestnut... ADV: ADV adj/adv, ADV a n, ADV compar, ADV too adj/adv, ADV prep 5. You use rather before verbs that introduce your thoughts and feelings, in order to express your opinion politely, especially when a different opinion has been expressed. I rather think he was telling the truth... ADV: ADV before v [politeness]

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

ad. 1. Preferably, in preference, more readily, more willingly, sooner, more. 2. Moderately, in some measure, in some degree, somewhat, tolerably. 3. Especially, the sooner, the more so, for better reason.

Moby Thesaurus

OK, Roger, a bit, a little, a rebours, absolutely, acceptably, adequately, after all, again, against the grain, albeit, all right, all the same, alright, alrighty, alternately, alternatively, although, amen, arsy-varsy, as an alternative, as you say, assuredly, at all events, at any rate, aye, before, but, by all means, by choice, by contraries, by election, by proxy, by vote, certainly, choose, choose rather, contra, contrarily, contrariously, contrariwise, conversely, da, decently, even, even so, exactly, extremely, fairishly, fairly, fairly well, faute de mieux, favor, fine, first, for all that, good, good enough, have a bias, have preference, have rather, hear, honor before, howbeit, however, in a measure, in a way, in any case, in any event, in flat opposition, in its place, in its stead, in loco parentis, in preference, in some measure, indeed, indeedy, instead, inversely, it is that, ja, just so, just the opposite, just the same, kind of, lean towards, like better, mais oui, moderately, more, more or less, most assuredly, naturally, naturellement, nay rather, nevertheless, nonetheless, notwithstanding, of course, okay, on the contrary, oppositely, otherwise, oui, passably, per contra, please, positively, precisely, prefer, prefer to, preferably, presentably, pretty, pretty well, quite, quite the contrary, rather than, really, respectably, right, right as rain, right you are, righto, satisfactorily, scarcely, see fit, set before, slightly, so-so, somewhat, sooner, sooner than, sort of, still, sure, sure thing, surely, that is so, think best, think fit, think proper, though, to a degree, to be sure, to some extent, to the contrary, tolerably, topsy-turvy, tout au contraire, truly, unexceptionably, upside down, very, very well, vice versa, well and good, well enough, when, why yes, yea, yeah, yep, yes, yes indeed, yes indeedy, yes sir, yes sirree, yet, you are right, you said it, you speak truly