rather

English Online Dictionary. What means rather‎? What does rather mean?

English

Alternative forms

• raither (obsolete)

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.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: rä′thə(r), IPA^(key): /ˈɹɑː.ðə(ɹ)/
• (Received Pronunciation) (interjection) IPA^(key): /ˌɹɑːˈðɜː(ɹ)/
• (General American) enPR: răth′ər, rä′thər, IPA^(key): /ˈɹæðɚ/
• (Southern US) enPR: rŭ’thə(r), rä’thə(r), IPA^(key): /ˈɹʌ.ðə(ɹ)/, (uncommon) /ˈɹɑː.ðə(ɹ)/
• (General Australian) enPR: rä’thə, răth’ə, IPA^(key): /ˈɹaː.ðə/, (uncommon) /ˈɹæ.ðə/
• Hyphenation: rath‧er
• Rhymes: -ɑːðə(ɹ), -æðə(ɹ), -ʌðə(ɹ)

Adverb

rather (not comparable)

1. Used to specify a choice or preference; preferably, in preference to. (Now usually followed by than) [from 9th c.]

   Synonyms: (archaic) sooner, liefer
3. (conjunctive) Used to introduce a contradiction; on the contrary. [from 14th c.]

4. (conjunctive) Introducing a qualification or clarification; more precisely. (Now usually preceded by or.) [from 15th c.]
   • 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.

5. (degree) Somewhat, quite; to an unexpected degree. [from 16th c.]

   Synonyms: somewhat, fairly, actually, unexpectedly

   Antonym: utterly

6. (obsolete) More quickly. [9th–19th c.]

   Synonyms: sooner, earlier

Usage notes

• (somewhat): This is a non-descriptive qualifier, similar to quite and fairly and somewhat. It is used where a plain adjective needs to be modified, but cannot be qualified. When spoken, the meaning can vary with the tone of voice and stress. “He was rather big” can mean anything from “not small” to “huge” (meiosis with the stress on rather).
• (preference): When expressing preference, the expression is usually would rather or had rather, usually contracted to 'd rather, but will rather and should rather also exist. In fact, use without any modal verb also exists in nonstandard and dialectal usage, in which rather is used as a verb (he rathers/rathered), see below.

Derived terms

Translations

Adjective

rather (not comparable)

1. (obsolete) Prior; earlier; former.
   • 1900, John Mandeville, The Travels of Sir John Mandeville (version in modern spelling)

     Now no man dwelleth at the rather town of Damietta.

Interjection

rather

1. (England, dated) An enthusiastic affirmation.

Noun

rather (plural rathers)

1. (informal, dated, uncommon) A choice or a preference.

Verb

rather (third-person singular simple present rathers, present participle rathering, simple past and past participle rathered)

1. (nonstandard or dialectal) To prefer; to prefer to.

Anagrams

• Harter

Middle English

Adverb

rather

1. Alternative form of rathere (“more quickly”)

Adjective

rather

1. Alternative form of rathere (“quicker”)