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rather - 7 dictionary results

rath⋅er

  [adv. rath-er, rah-ther; interj. rath-ur, rah-thur]
Use rather in a Sentence
–adverb
1. in a measure; to a certain extent; somewhat: rather good.
2. in some degree: I rather thought you would regret it.
3. more properly or justly; with better reason: The contrary is rather to be supposed.
4. sooner; more readily or willingly: to die rather than yield.
5. more properly or correctly speaking; more truly: He is a painter or, rather, a watercolorist.
6. on the contrary: It's not generosity, rather self-interest.
7. rather than, instead of: Tutoring is provided by older students rather than teachers. Rather than complain, you should try to make changes.
–interjection
8. Chiefly British. emphatically yes; assuredly; without doubt: Is the book worth reading?Rather!
—Idiom
9. had or would rather, to prefer that or to: I had much rather we not stay. We would rather go for dinner after the show.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME; OE hrathor, comp. of hræth quick, rathe

rathe

  [reyth]
–adjective
Archaic. growing, blooming, or ripening early in the year or season.
Also, rath  [rath] .

Origin:
bef. 900; ME; OE hræth, hræd quick, active; c. D rad, ON hrathr

Related forms:
rathely, adverb
ratheness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To rather
rath·er   (rāth'ər, rä'thər)   
adv.  
  1. More readily; preferably: I'd rather go to the movies.
  2. With more reason, logic, wisdom, or other justification.
  3. More exactly; more accurately: He's my friend, or rather he was my friend.
  4. To a certain extent; somewhat: rather cold.
  5. On the contrary.
  6. (rā'thûr', rä'-) Chiefly British Most certainly. Used as an emphatic affirmative reply.

[Middle English, from Old English hrathor, comparative of hræthe, quickly, soon, from hræth, quick.]
Usage Note: In expressions of preference rather is commonly preceded by would: We would rather rent the house than buy it outright. In formal style, should is sometimes used: I should rather my daughter attended a public school. Sometimes had appears in these constructions, although this use of had seems to be growing less frequent: I had rather work with William than work for him. This usage was once widely criticized as a mistake, the result of a misanalysis of the contraction in sentences such as I'd rather stay. But it is in fact a survival of the subjunctive form had that appears in constructions like had better and had best, as in We had better leave now. This use of had goes back to Middle English and is perfectly acceptable. · Before an unmodified noun only rather a is used: It was rather a disaster. When the noun is preceded by an adjective, however, both rather a and a rather are found: It was rather a boring party. It was a rather boring party. When a rather is used in this construction, rather qualifies only the adjective, whereas with rather a it qualifies either the adjective or the entire noun phrase. Thus a rather long ordeal can mean only "an ordeal that is rather long," whereas rather a long ordeal can also mean roughly "a long process that is something of an ordeal." Rather a is the only possible choice when the adjective itself does not permit modification: The horse was rather a long shot (not The horse was a rather long shot). See Usage Notes at have, should.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Rather

Rath"er\, a. [Compar. of Rath, a.] Prior; earlier; former. [Obs.]

Now no man dwelleth at the rather town. --Sir J. Mandeville.

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.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : rather
Spanish: bastante; más bien, un tanto, un poco, algo,
German: ziemlich,
Japanese: どちらかといえば
More Translations »

rather 
O.E. hraþor "more quickly, earlier, sooner," also "more readily," comparative of hraþe, hræþe "quickly," related to hræð "quick," from P.Gmc. *khrathuz (cf. O.N. hraðr, O.H.G. hrad). The base form rathe was obsolete by 18c. except in poetry; superlative rathest fell from use by 17c. Meaning "more willingly" is recorded from 1297; sense of "more truly" is attested from c.1380.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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rather

see had rather.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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