rather

1. a. Prior; earlier; former. Source: opted

2. a. Earlier; sooner; before. Source: opted

3. a. More readily or willingly; preferably. Source: opted

4. a. On the other hand; to the contrary of what was said or suggested; instead. Source: opted

5. a. Of two alternatives conceived of, this by preference to, or as more likely than, the other; somewhat. Source: opted

6. a. More properly; more correctly speaking. Source: opted

7. a. In some degree; somewhat; as, the day is rather warm; the house is rather damp. Source: opted

8. adv. on the contrary Source: wordnet

9. adv. to some (great or small) extent Source: wordnet

10. adv. more readily or willingly Source: wordnet

11. adv. to a degree (not used with a negative) Source: wordnet

12. Prior; earlier; former. [Obs.] Now no man dwelleth at the rather town. Sir J. Mandeville. 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. Source: webster

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