rather

Meanings

• adverb

  prefer one thing to another; used to indicate a choice

  - "I'd rather have ice cream than cake."
  - "He'd rather stay home than go to the party."
  - "She'd rather not discuss her personal life."

• adverb

  used to express a preference for one thing over another even if it means making a sacrifice

  - "I'd rather work overtime than lose my job."
  - "He'd rather live in poverty than compromise his principles."
  - "She'd rather be alone than be with someone who doesn't respect her."

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Pronunciation

1. /ˈɹæðɚ/
   
   
   
   Source: "https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1227416"

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Antonyms

utterly

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Synonyms

as lief , liefer , liever , fairly , quite , somewhat

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Rhymes

Words rhyming with rather
rather , later , quiver , tiber , nibbler , hiver

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Variants

List of all variants of rather that leads to same result
rather , the rather , rather than , sooner rather than later , the exception rather than the rule , would rather

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Etymology

origin and the way in which meanings have changed throughout history.

Old English rathor, from rathe, eager, desirous, from rathean, to be eager, from rathe, raging, furious.

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Trivia

Any details, considerations, events or pieces of information regarding the word

1. The word 'rather' comes from the Old English word 'rathor', which means 'eager' or 'desirous'.

2. The word 'rather' is often used interchangeably with the word 'prefer'.

3. The word 'rather' can also be used as a noun to mean 'a preference'.

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Related Concepts

informations on related concepts or terms closely associated with the word. Discuss semantic fields or domains that the word belongs to

1. preference: The state of liking one alternative over another.

2. choice: An act of selecting or making a decision between two or more options.

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Culture

Any cultural, historical, or symbolic significance of the word. Explore how the word has been used in literature, art, music, or other forms of expression.

In literature, 'rather' is often used to express a strong preference or to make a comparison. For example, in Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet', Romeo says, 'But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.' Here, 'rather' is used to make a comparison between Juliet and the sun.

How to Memorize "rather"

1. visualize
   

   - Imagine yourself in a situation where you have to make a choice between two things. See yourself making the decision to prefer one thing over the other.

2. associate
   

   - Associate the word 'rather' with the idea of making a choice or expressing a preference.

3. mnemonics
   

   - Create a mnemonic using the letters in 'rather' to help remember its meaning. For example, 'R' represents 'rather' as a preference, 'A' represents 'another', 'T' represents 'than', 'H' represents 'have', and 'E' represents 'express'.

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Memorize "rather" using Dictozo

The best and recommended way to memorize rather is, by using Dictozo. Just save the word in Dictozo extension and let the app handle the rest. It enhances the memorization process in two ways:

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