RATHER

rather, kind of, kinda, sort of

(adverb) 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”

quite, rather

(adverb) to a degree (not used with a negative); “quite tasty”; “quite soon”; “quite ill”; “quite rich”

rather, instead

(adverb) 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”

preferably, sooner, rather

(adverb) more readily or willingly; “clean it well, preferably with warm water”; “I’d rather be in Philadelphia”; “I’d sooner die than give up”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Proper noun

Rather (plural Rathers)

A surname.

Statistics

• According to the 2010 United States Census, Rather is the 15309^th most common surname in the United States, belonging to 1917 individuals. Rather is most common among White (72.4%) and Black/African American (17.53%) individuals.

Anagrams

• Harter

Etymology

Adverb

rather (not comparable)

(obsolete) More quickly; sooner, earlier. [9th-19th c.]

Used to specify a choice or preference; preferably, in preference to. (Now usually followed by than) [from 9th c.]

(conjunctive) Used to introduce a contradiction; on the contrary. [from 14th c.]

(conjunctive) Introducing a qualification or clarification; more precisely. (Now usually preceded by or.) [from 15th c.]

(degree) Somewhat, fairly. [from 16th c.]

Usage notes

• (somewhat): This is a non-descriptive qualifier, similar to quite and fairly and somewhat. It is used where a plain adjective needs to be modified, but cannot be qualified. When spoken, the meaning can vary with the tone of voice and stress. "He was rather big" can mean anything from "not small" to "huge" (meiosis with the stress on rather).

• (preference): When expressing preference, the expression is usually would rather or had rather, usually contracted to 'd rather, but will rather and should rather also exist. In fact, use without any modal verb also exists in nonstandard and dialectal usage, in which rather is used as a verb (he rathers/rathered), see below.

Synonyms

• (sooner, more readily): liever, liefer, as lief

• (to a certain extent): somewhat, fairly, quite

Antonyms

• (somewhat): utterly

Verb

rather (third-person singular simple present rathers, present participle rathering, simple past and past participle rathered)

(nonstandard or dialectal) To prefer; to prefer to.

Adjective

rather (not comparable)

(obsolete) Prior; earlier; former.

Interjection

rather

(England, dated) An enthusiastic affirmation.

Anagrams

• Harter

Source: Wiktionary

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Rath"er, a. Etym: [Compar. of Rath, a.]

Definition: Prior; earlier; former. [Obs.] Now no man dwelleth at the rather town. Sir J. Mandeville.

Rath"er, adv. Etym: [AS. hrathor, compar. of hrathe, hræ\'ebe, 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.

RATH

Rath, n. Etym: [Ir. rath.]

1. A hill or mound. [Ireland] Spencer.

2. A kind of ancient fortification found in Ireland.

Rath, Rathe, a. Etym: [AS. hræ\'eb, hræd, quick, akin to OHG. hrad, Icel. hrathr.]

Definition: Coming before others, or before the usual time; early. [Obs. or Poetic] Bring the rathe primrose that forsaken dies. Milton.

Rath, Rathe, adv.

Definition: Early; soon; betimes. [Obs. or Poetic] Why rise ye up so rathe Chaucer. Too rathe cut off by practice criminal. Spencer.

RATHE

Rath, Rathe, a. Etym: [AS. hræ\'eb, hræd, quick, akin to OHG. hrad, Icel. hrathr.]

Definition: Coming before others, or before the usual time; early. [Obs. or Poetic] Bring the rathe primrose that forsaken dies. Milton.

Rath, Rathe, adv.

Definition: Early; soon; betimes. [Obs. or Poetic] Why rise ye up so rathe Chaucer. Too rathe cut off by practice criminal. Spencer.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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