[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

rather \rath"er\ ra^th"~er; 277, adv. as. hraethor,
   compar. of hraethe, hraeethe, 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
see also:
rath the rather had rather would rather had rather had 

Would >> W Words
Would, definition of term: Would
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Rather >> R Words
Rather, definition of term: Rather
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