Rather \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.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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