Category:Rather

Rath"er, a. Etym: [compar. of rath, a.]

Defn: prior; earlier; former. [obs.] Now no man dwelleth at the rather town. Sir j. Mandeville.

Rather 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.