Rather Definition & Meaning | Bay Area Crosswords

About The Word Rather

Learn about the word Rather to help solve your crossword puzzle. Discover Rather definitions and meaning, origins, synonyms, related terms and more at the free Crossword Dictionary.

Rather

Rather Definition And Meaning
What's The Definition Of Rather? [adv] 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" [adv] to a degree (not used with a negative); "quite tasty"; "quite soon"; "quite ill"; "quite rich" [adv] 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" [adv] more readily or willingly; "clean it well, preferably with warm water"; "I'd rather be in Philadelphia"; "I'd sooner die than give up" Synonyms \| Synonyms for Rather: instead \| kind of \| kinda \| preferably \| quite \| sooner \| sort of Related Terms \| Find terms related to Rather: See Also \| Rather In Webster's Dictionary \Rath"er\, a. [Compar. of {Rath}, a.] Prior; earlier; former. [Obs.] Now no man dwelleth at the rather town. --Sir J. Mandeville. \Rath"er\, adv. [AS. hra[eth]or, compar. of hra[eth]e, hr[ae][eth]e, 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}.

Rather Definition And Meaning

What's The Definition Of Rather?

[adv] 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"
[adv] to a degree (not used with a negative); "quite tasty"; "quite soon"; "quite ill"; "quite rich"
[adv] 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"
[adv] more readily or willingly; "clean it well, preferably with warm water"; "I'd rather be in Philadelphia"; "I'd sooner die than give up"

Related Terms | Find terms related to Rather:

See Also |

Rather In Webster's Dictionary

\Rath"er\, a. [Compar. of {Rath}, a.]
Prior; earlier; former. [Obs.]

      Now no man dwelleth at the rather town.  --Sir J.
                                               Mandeville.


\Rath"er\, adv. [AS. hra[eth]or, compar. of hra[eth]e,
hr[ae][eth]e, 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}.

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