rather
    adv 1: 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" [syn: rather,
           instead]
    2: 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" [syn: rather, kind of,
       kinda, sort of]
    3: more readily or willingly; "clean it well, preferably with
       warm water"; "I'd rather be in Philadelphia"; "I'd sooner die
       than give up" [syn: preferably, sooner, rather]
    4: to a degree (not used with a negative); "quite tasty"; "quite
       soon"; "quite ill"; "quite rich" [syn: quite, rather]

Rather \Rath"er\ (r[a^][th]"[~e]r), a. [Compar. of Rath, a.]
   Prior; earlier; former. [Obs.]
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         Now no man dwelleth at the rather town.  --Sir J.
                                                  Mandeville.
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Rather \Rath"er\ (r[a^][th]"[~e]r; 277), adv. [AS. hra[eth]or,
   compar. of hra[eth]e, hr[ae][eth]e, quickly, immediately. See
   Rath, a.]
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   1. Earlier; sooner; before. [Obs.]
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            Thou shalt, quod he, be rather false than I.
                                                  --Chaucer.
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            A good mean to come the rather to grace. --Foxe.
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   2. More readily or willingly; preferably.
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            My soul chooseth . . . death rather than my life.
                                                  --Job vii. 15.
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   3. On the other hand; to the contrary of what was said or
      suggested; instead.
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            Was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse. --Mark
                                                  v. 26.
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   4. Of two alternatives conceived of, this by preference to,
      or as more likely than, the other; somewhat.
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            He sought throughout the world, but sought in vain,
            And nowhere finding, rather feared her slain.
                                                  --Dryden.
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   5. More properly; more correctly speaking.
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            This is an art
            Which does mend nature, change it rather, but
            The art itself is nature.             --Shak.
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   6. In some degree; somewhat; as, the day is rather warm; the
      house is rather damp.
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   The rather, the more so; especially; for better reason; for
      particular cause.
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            You are come to me in happy time,
            The rather for I have some sport in hand. --Shak.
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   Had rather, or Would rather, prefer to; prefers to; as,
      he had rather, or would rather go than stay. "I had rather
      speak five words with my understanding than ten thousand
      words in an unknown tongue." --1 Cor. xiv. 19. See Had
      rather, under Had.
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