Etymology From Middle English rather, from Old English 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 + -er.
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.
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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.
Firstly, I continue to base most species treatments on personally collected material, rather than on herbarium plants.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:
2
Conjunctive 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.
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Are the characteristics that are ascribed to lingua franca communication general lingua franca features? Or are they rather properties of the lingua franca that is presently most frequently used in this function – English?2022, Sabine Fiedler, Cyril Robert Brosch, “The aim of this book” (chapter 4), in Esperanto – Lingua Franca and Language Community, John Benjamins Publishing Company, →DOI, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OL, page 19:
3
Conjunctive 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.1897 October 16, Henry James, chapter IX, in What Maisie Knew, Chicago, Ill.; New York, N.Y.: Herbert S. Stone & Co., →OCLC, page 94:
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.
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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.1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XXIV, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC, pages 198–199:
I didn't want to leave. Or rather I did, just not alone.
4
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.
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We’ll be seeing rather a lot of you over the next few days.
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2005, Annabelle du Fouet, “The murky world from whence it all came” (chapter 2), in Weather Balloons Make Rotten Sex Toys, Ellora's Cave, →ISBN, page 45
› 2005, Annabelle du Fouet, “The murky world…
6
Translated from the original Latin, it reads, “Ivan the third; does it with birds.” Rather juvenile, don’t you think?
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.1683, John Dryden, transl., Plutarch's Lives: Life of Pompey, translation of original by Plutarch:
Etymology From Middle English rather, from Old English 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 + -er.
Now no man dwelleth at the rather town of Damietta.1900, John Mandeville, The Travels of Sir John Mandeville (version in modern spelling)
rather
intj
UK /ˌɹɑːˈðɜː(ɹ)/
Etymology From Middle English rather, from Old English 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 + -er.
"Do you mean to say, young man," she said frostily, "that you expect me to drink this stuff?" ¶ "Rather! Bucks you up, you know."1919, P. G. Wodehouse, My Man Jeeves:
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"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.1950, C. S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe:
"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."1967, Peter Pook, Banker Pook Confesses:
rather
noun
Etymology From Middle English rather, from Old English 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 + -er.
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-1973, Chester B. Himes, Black on Black, Baby Sister and Selected Writings, page 46:
I would rather do it by myself. I would rather, if I had my rathers, not be seen doing it.2000, Wendell Berry, Jayber Crow, A Novel, page 280:
rather
verb
Etymology From Middle English rather, from Old English 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 + -er.
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.1984, Bruce Brooks, The Moves Make the Man:
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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; […]2002, Sarah Waters, chapter 2, in Fingersmith, London: Virago, →ISBN, part 1, page 38:
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?2002, Elizabeth Bowen, The Heat of the Day:
"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.2007, Mikel Schaefer, Lost in Katrina, page 323: