'Rather' definitions:
Definition of 'rather'
(from WordNet)
adverb
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]
adverb
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]
adverb
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]
adverb
To a degree (not used with a negative); "quite tasty"; "quite soon"; "quite ill"; "quite rich" [syn: quite, rather]
Definition of 'Rather'
From: GCIDE
- Rather \Rath"er\ (r[a^][th]"[~e]r), a. [Compar. of Rath, a.] Prior; earlier; former. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
- Now no man dwelleth at the rather town. --Sir J. Mandeville. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Rather'
From: GCIDE
- 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.] [1913 Webster]
- 1. Earlier; sooner; before. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
- Thou shalt, quod he, be rather false than I. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
- A good mean to come the rather to grace. --Foxe. [1913 Webster]
- 2. More readily or willingly; preferably. [1913 Webster]
- My soul chooseth . . . death rather than my life. --Job vii. 15. [1913 Webster]
- 3. On the other hand; to the contrary of what was said or suggested; instead. [1913 Webster]
- Was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse. --Mark v. 26. [1913 Webster]
- 4. Of two alternatives conceived of, this by preference to, or as more likely than, the other; somewhat. [1913 Webster]
- He sought throughout the world, but sought in vain, And nowhere finding, rather feared her slain. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
- 5. More properly; more correctly speaking. [1913 Webster]
- This is an art Which does mend nature, change it rather, but The art itself is nature. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- 6. In some degree; somewhat; as, the day is rather warm; the house is rather damp. [1913 Webster]
- The rather, the more so; especially; for better reason; for particular cause. [1913 Webster]
- You are come to me in happy time, The rather for I have some sport in hand. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- 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. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'rather'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- a bit,
- a little,
- a rebours,
- absolutely,
- acceptably,
- adequately,
- after all,
- again,
- against the grain,
- albeit,
- all right,
- all the same,
- alright,
- alrighty,
- alternately,
- alternatively,
- although,
- amen,
- arsy-varsy,
- as an alternative,
- as you say,
- assuredly,
- at all events,
- at any rate,
- aye,
- before,
- but,
- by all means,
- by choice,
- by contraries,
- by election,
- by proxy,
- by vote,
- certainly,
- choose,
- choose rather,
- contra,
- contrarily,
- contrariously,
- contrariwise,
- conversely,
- da,
- decently,
- even,
- even so,
- exactly,
- extremely,
- fairishly,
- fairly,
- fairly well,
- faute de mieux,
- favor,
- fine,
- first,
- for all that,
- good,
- good enough,
- have a bias,
- have preference,
- have rather,
- hear,
- honor before,
- howbeit,
- however,
- in a measure,
- in a way,
- in any case,
- in any event,
- in flat opposition,
- in its place,
- in its stead,
- in loco parentis,
- in preference,
- in some measure,
- indeed,
- indeedy,
- instead,
- inversely,
- it is that,
- ja,
- just so,
- just the opposite,
- just the same,
- kind of,
- lean towards,
- like better,
- mais oui,
- moderately,
- more,
- more or less,
- most assuredly,
- naturally,
- naturellement,
- nay rather,
- nevertheless,
- nonetheless,
- notwithstanding,
- of course,
- OK,
- okay,
- on the contrary,
- oppositely,
- otherwise,
- oui,
- passably,
- per contra,
- please,
- positively,
- precisely,
- prefer,
- prefer to,
- preferably,
- presentably,
- pretty,
- pretty well,
- quite,
- quite the contrary,
- rather than,
- really,
- respectably,
- right,
- right as rain,
- right you are,
- righto,
- Roger,
- satisfactorily,
- scarcely,
- see fit,
- set before,
- slightly,
- so-so,
- somewhat,
- sooner,
- sooner than,
- sort of,
- still,
- sure,
- sure thing,
- surely,
- that is so,
- think best,
- think fit,
- think proper,
- though,
- to a degree,
- to be sure,
- to some extent,
- to the contrary,
- tolerably,
- topsy-turvy,
- tout au contraire,
- truly,
- unexceptionably,
- upside down,
- very,
- very well,
- vice versa,
- well and good,
- well enough,
- when,
- why yes,
- yea,
- yeah,
- yep,
- yes,
- yes indeed,
- yes indeedy,
- yes sir,
- yes sirree,
- yet,
- you are right,
- you said it,
- you speak truly