rather

adv

1. (not-comparable)Used to specify a choice or preference; preferably, in preference to. (Now usually followed by than)

   “I'd rather not have spent all the money, but it really was an emergency.”

   “I would like this one rather than the other one.”

   “I s'pose we'd better clean the kitchen, but we had much rather not do anything right now.”

   “Tomorrow's impossible. We'd rather you came next weekend.”

   “They'd rather've spent the money on a holiday.”

2. (conjunctive, not-comparable)Used to introduce a contradiction; on the contrary.

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

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

3. (conjunctive, not-comparable)Introducing a qualification or clarification; more precisely. (Now usually preceded by or.)

   “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.”

   “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.”

   “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.”

   “I didn't want to leave. Or rather I did, just not alone.”

4. (not-comparable)Somewhat, quite; to an unexpected degree.

   “It's been rather/quite a good meal overall, but this melon is rather too tasteless.”

   “We had some rather worse news today.”

   “We’ll be seeing rather a lot of you over the next few days.”

   “I'd rather like a cup of tea. - Oh, would you? I'd rather have a mug of beer.”

   “Translated from the original Latin, it reads, “Ivan the third; does it with birds.” Rather juvenile, don’t you think?”

5. (not-comparable, obsolete)More quickly.

   “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.”

adj

1. (not-comparable, obsolete)Prior; earlier; former.

   “Now no man dwelleth at the rather town of Damietta.”

intj

1. (England, dated)An enthusiastic affirmation.

   “Would you like some? –Rather!”

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

   “"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.”

   “"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."”

noun

1. (dated, informal, uncommon)A choice or a preference.

   “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-”

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

verb

1. (dialectal, nonstandard)To prefer; to prefer to.

   “You'd rather us be dead.”

   “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.”

   “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; […]”

   “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?”

   “"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.”

name

1. A surname.