Alternative forms

• raither (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle EnglishCategory:English terms inherited from Middle English#RATHERCategory:English terms derived from Middle English#RATHER rather, from Old EnglishCategory:English terms inherited from Old English#RATHERCategory:English terms derived from Old English#RATHER hraþor, comparative of hraþe (“soon, early, fast”). More at rathe. Cognate with Dutch radder (“faster”), comparative of Dutch rad (“fast; quick”), German Low German radd, ratt (“rashly; quickly; hastily”), German gerade (“even; straight; direct”). By surface analysis, rathe +‎ -erCategory:English terms suffixed with -er#RATHER.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: rä′thə(r), IPA^(key): /ˈɹɑː.ðə(ɹ)/Category:English 2-syllable words#RATHERCategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#RATHER
• (Received Pronunciation) (interjection) IPA^(key): /ˌɹɑːˈðɜː(ɹ)/Category:English 2-syllable words#RATHERCategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#RATHER
• (General American) enPR: răth′ər, rä′thər, IPA^(key): /ˈɹæðɚ/Category:English 2-syllable words#RATHERCategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#RATHER

• Audio (US):

  (file)

  Category:English terms with audio pronunciation#RATHER
• (Southern US) enPR: rŭ’thə(r), rä’thə(r), IPA^(key): /ˈɹʌðə(ɹ)/, /ˈɹɛðəɹ/, (uncommon) /ˈɹɑːðə(ɹ)/Category:English 2-syllable words#RATHERCategory:English 2-syllable words#RATHERCategory:English 2-syllable words#RATHERCategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#RATHER
• (General Australian, New Zealand) enPR: rä’thə, IPA^(key): /ˈɹɐː.ðə/Category:English 2-syllable words#RATHERCategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#RATHER

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

  Category:English terms with audio pronunciation#RATHER
• (Indic) IPA^(key): /ˈrɑd̪ʱə(r)/, (without the trap–bath split) /ˈrad̪ʱə(r)/Category:English 2-syllable words#RATHERCategory:English 2-syllable words#RATHERCategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#RATHER
• Hyphenation: rath‧er
• Rhymes: -ɑːðə(ɹ), -æðə(ɹ), -ʌðə(ɹ)Category:Rhymes:English/ɑːðə(ɹ)#RATHERCategory:Rhymes:English/ɑːðə(ɹ)/2 syllables#RATHERCategory:Rhymes:English/æðə(ɹ)#RATHERCategory:Rhymes:English/æðə(ɹ)/2 syllables#RATHERCategory:Rhymes:English/ʌðə(ɹ)#RATHERCategory:Rhymes:English/ʌðə(ɹ)/2 syllables#RATHER

Adverb

rather (not comparable)Category:English lemmas#RATHERCategory:English adverbs#RATHERCategory:English uncomparable adverbs#RATHERCategory:English entries with incorrect language header#RATHERCategory:Pages with entries#RATHERCategory:Pages with 2 entries#RATHER

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

   Synonyms: (archaic) sooner, liefer

   I'd rather not have spent all the money, but it really was an emergency.Category:English terms with usage examples#RATHER

   I would like this one rather than the other one.Category:English terms with usage examples#RATHER

   I s'pose we'd better clean the kitchen, but we had much rather not do anything right now.Category:English terms with usage examples#RATHER

   Tomorrow's impossible. We'd rather you came next weekend.Category:English terms with usage examples#RATHER

   They'd rather've spent the money on a holiday.Category:English terms with usage examples#RATHER

   • 1992, Rudolf M[athias] Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, Chicago, Ill.: Field Museum of Natural History, →ISBN, page vii:

     Firstly, I continue to base most species treatments on personally collected material, rather than on herbarium plants.

     Category:English terms with quotations#RATHER

   • 2004, Erlend Øye, Eirik Glambek Bøe, “I'd Rather Dance with You”, performed by Kings of Convenience:

     I'd rather dance with you than talk with you / So why don't we just move into the other room

     Category:English terms with quotations#RATHER

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

   It wasn't supposed to be popular; rather, it was supposed to get the job done.

   Category:English terms with usage examples#RATHER

   She didn't go along, but rather went home instead.

   Category:English terms with usage examples#RATHER

4. (conjunctive) Introducing a qualification or clarification; more precisely. (Now usually preceded by or.) [from 15th c.]
   • 1897 October 16, Henry James, chapter IX, in What Maisie Knew, Chicago, Ill.; New York, N.Y.: Herbert S. Stone & Co., →OCLC, page 94:

     What the pupil already knew was indeed rather taken for granted than expressed, but it performed the useful function of transcending all textbooks, and supplanting all studies.

     Category:English terms with quotations#RATHER

   • 1898, J. A. Hamilton, "Stanley, Edward George Geoffrey Smith", in Sidney Lee (Ed.), Dictionary of National Biography, Volume LIV: Stanhope–Stovin, The MacMillan Company, page 60,

     His ‘Iliad’ is spirited and polished, and, though often rather a paraphrase than a translation, is always more truly poetic than most of the best translations.

   • 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XXIV, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC, pages 198–199:

     All this was extraordinarily distasteful to Churchill. […] Never before had he felt such repulsion when the vicar displayed his characteristic bluntness or coarseness of speech. In the present connection—or rather as a transition from the subject that had started their conversation—such talk had been distressingly out of place.

     Category:English terms with quotations#RATHER

   I didn't want to leave. Or rather I did, just not alone.Category:English terms with usage examples#RATHER

5. (degree) Somewhat, quite; to an unexpected degree. [from 16th c.]

   Synonyms: somewhat, fairly, actually, unexpectedly

   Antonym: utterly

   It's been rather/quite a good meal overall, but this melon is rather too tasteless.Category:English terms with usage examples#RATHER

   We had some rather worse news today.Category:English terms with usage examples#RATHER

   We’ll be seeing rather a lot of you over the next few days.Category:English terms with usage examples#RATHER

   I'd rather like a cup of tea. - Oh, would you? I'd rather have a mug of beer.Category:English terms with usage examples#RATHER

6. (obsoleteCategory:English terms with obsolete senses#RATHER) More quickly. [9th–19th c.]

   Synonyms: sooner, earlier

   • 1683, John Dryden, transl., Plutarch's Lives: Life of Pompey, translation of original by Plutarch:

     Pompey, being elated and filled with confidence by this victory, made all haste to engage Sertorius himself, and the rather lest Metellus should come in for a share in the honour of the victory.

     Category:English terms with quotations#RATHER

Adjective

rather (not comparable)Category:English lemmas#RATHERCategory:English adjectives#RATHERCategory:English uncomparable adjectives#RATHERCategory:English entries with incorrect language header#RATHERCategory:Pages with entries#RATHERCategory:Pages with 2 entries#RATHER

1. (obsoleteCategory:English terms with obsolete senses#RATHER) Prior; earlier; former.
   • 1900, John Mandeville, The Travels of Sir John Mandeville (version in modern spelling)

     Now no man dwelleth at the rather town of Damietta.

Interjection

ratherCategory:English lemmas#RATHERCategory:English interjections#RATHERCategory:English entries with incorrect language header#RATHERCategory:Pages with entries#RATHERCategory:Pages with 2 entries#RATHER

1. (EnglandCategory:English English#RATHER, datedCategory:English dated terms#RATHER) An enthusiastic affirmation.

   Would you like some? –Rather!Category:English terms with usage examples#RATHER

   • 1919, P. G. Wodehouse, My Man Jeeves‎:

     "Do you mean to say, young man," she said frostily, "that you expect me to drink this stuff?" ¶ "Rather! Bucks you up, you know."

     Category:English terms with quotations#RATHER

   • 1950, C. S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe:

     "Farewell, Daughter of Eve," said he. "Perhaps I may keep the handkerchief?"
     "Rather!" said Lucy, and then ran towards the far-off patch of daylight as quickly as her legs would carry her.

     Category:English terms with quotations#RATHER

     Category:Quotation templates to be cleaned
   • 1967, Peter Pook, Banker Pook Confesses‎:

     "Some of us stupid old die-hards believe that there is yet room for pride in one's work, Pook," Mr Pants said with dangerous emphasis. "Oh, rather, sir. I'd much sooner walk to London Town than ride in one of those motorcars we've heard tell of, sir."

     Category:English terms with quotations#RATHER

Noun

rather (plural rathers)Category:English lemmas#RATHERCategory:English nouns#RATHERCategory:English countable nouns#RATHERCategory:English entries with incorrect language header#RATHERCategory:Pages with entries#RATHERCategory:Pages with 2 entries#RATHER

1. (informalCategory:English informal terms#RATHER, datedCategory:English dated terms#RATHER, uncommonCategory:English terms with uncommon senses#RATHER) A choice or a preference.
   • 1973, Chester B. Himes, Black on Black, Baby Sister and Selected Writings, page 46:

     If I had my rathers I'd make up my own band. Art Blakey on the skins, Charlie Mingus on the bass, John Coltrane on the sax, Harry Edison on the horn-

     Category:English terms with quotations#RATHER

   • 2000, Wendell Berry, Jayber Crow, A Novel, page 280:

     I would rather do it by myself. I would rather, if I had my rathers, not be seen doing it.

     Category:English terms with quotations#RATHER

Verb

rather (third-person singular simple present rathers, present participle rathering, simple past and past participle rathered)Category:English lemmas#RATHERCategory:English verbs#RATHERCategory:English entries with incorrect language header#RATHERCategory:Pages with entries#RATHERCategory:Pages with 2 entries#RATHER

1. (nonstandardCategory:English nonstandard terms#RATHER or dialectalCategory:English dialectal terms#RATHER) To prefer; to prefer to.

   You'd rather us be dead.Category:English terms with usage examples#RATHER

   • 1984, Bruce Brooks, The Moves Make the Man:

     Until just before the pie was popped into the heat. A few of them suddenly realized who put that gorgeous hunk of crackers together, and gaped. We grinned back, but very cool. The ones who knew said nothing, rathering to die than let on they had been hustled by two negative dudes.

     Category:English terms with quotations#RATHER

   • 2002, Sarah Waters, chapter 2, in Fingersmith, London: Virago, →ISBN, part 1, page 38:

     It was a plain brown dress, more or less the colour of my hair; and the walls of our kitchen being also brown, when I came downstairs again I could hardly be seen. I should have rathered a blue gown, or a violet one; […]

     Category:English terms with quotations#RATHER

   • 2002, Elizabeth Bowen, The Heat of the Day:

     So you must excuse my saying anything I did: all it was, that up to the very last I had understood us all to be friendly — apart, that is, from his rathering me not there. How was I to know he would flash out so wicked?

     Category:English terms with quotations#RATHER

     Category:Quotation templates to be cleaned
   • 2007, Mikel Schaefer, Lost in Katrina, page 323:

     "That was a killer," said Chris. "I'd rathered die in St. Bernard than spent one minute over there. I would have rathered the storm, shaking with the wind and rain hitting in the boat for an eternity than spending any time there.

     Category:English terms with quotations#RATHER

     Category:Quotation templates to be cleaned

Anagrams

• Harter

Adverb

ratherCategory:Middle English alternative forms#RATHERCategory:Middle English entries with incorrect language header#RATHERCategory:Pages with entries#RATHERCategory:Pages with 2 entries#RATHER

1. alternative form of rathere (“more quickly”)

Adjective

ratherCategory:Middle English alternative forms#RATHERCategory:Middle English entries with incorrect language header#RATHERCategory:Pages with entries#RATHERCategory:Pages with 2 entries#RATHER

1. alternative form of rathere (“quicker”)