PREFER

choose, prefer, opt

(verb) select as an alternative over another; “I always choose the fish over the meat courses in this restaurant”; “She opted for the job on the East coast”

prefer

(verb) like better; value more highly; “Some people prefer camping to staying in hotels”; “We prefer sleeping outside”

prefer, favor, favour

(verb) promote over another; “he favors his second daughter”

prefer

(verb) give preference to one creditor over another

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Verb

prefer (third-person singular simple present prefers, present participle preferring, simple past and past participle preferred)

(transitive) To be in the habit of choosing something rather than something else; to favor; to like better. [from 14^thc.]

(transitive, now dated) To advance, promote (someone or something). [from 14^thc.]

(transitive) To present or submit (something) to an authority (now usually in "to prefer charges"). [from 16^thc.]

(obsolete, transitive) To put forward for acceptance; to introduce, recommend (to). [16^th-19^thc.]

Usage notes

• The verb can be used in three different forms

• prefer + noun + to (or over) + noun. Example: I prefer coffee to tea.

• prefer + gerund + to (or over) + gerund. Example: I prefer skiing to swimming.

• prefer + full infinitive + rather than + bare infinitive. Example: I prefer to eat fish rather than (eat) meat.

Synonyms

• forechoose

Antonyms

• disprefer

Source: Wiktionary

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Pre*fer", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Preferred; p. pr. & vb. n. Preferring.] Etym: [F. préférer, L. praeferre; prae before + ferre to bear or carry. See 1st Bear.]

1. To carry or bring (something) forward, or before one; hence, to bring for consideration, acceptance, judgment, etc.; to offer; to present; to proffer; to address; -- said especially of a request, prayer, petition, claim, charge, etc. He spake, and to her hand preferred the bowl. Pope. Presently prefer his suit to Cæsar. Shak. Three tongues prefer strange orisons on high. Byron.

2. To go before, or be before, in estimation; to outrank; to surpass. [Obs.] "Though maidenhood prefer bigamy." Chaucer.

3. To cause to go before; hence, to advance before others, as to an office or dignity; to raise; to exalt; to promote; as, to prefer an officer to the rank of general. I would prefer him to a better place. Shak.

4. To set above or before something else in estimation, favor, or liking; to regard or honor before another; to hold in greater favor; to choose rather; -- often followed by to, before, or above. If I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy. Ps. cxxxvii. 6. Preferred an infamous peace before a most just war. Knolles. Preferred stock, stock which takes a dividend before other capital stock; -- called also preference stock and preferential stock.

Syn.

– To choose; elect. See Choose.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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