Rather

Pronunciation: /ˈræðər/

Definitions of rather

adverb to a certain or significant extent or degree

Example Sentences

A1 I would rather stay home than go out tonight.

A2 She decided to go for a walk rather than watch TV.

B1 I'd rather not talk about it right now.

B2 He would rather work on the project alone than with a team.

C1 I would rather not disclose that information at this time.

C2 She would rather travel to Europe than Asia for vacation.

Examples of rather in a Sentence

formal I would rather not attend the meeting tomorrow due to a prior commitment.

informal I'd rather go to the beach than stay home all day.

slang I'd way rather hang out with my friends than study for that test.

figurative She is a rather shy person, preferring to stay in the background during social events.

Grammatical Forms of rather

• past tense: rathered
• plural: rathers
• comparative: ratherer
• superlative: ratherest
• present tense: rather
• future tense: will rather
• perfect tense: have rathered
• continuous tense: is rathering
• singular: rather
• positive degree: rather
• infinitive: to rather
• gerund: rathering
• participle: rathered

Origin and Evolution of rather

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'rather' originated from the Old English word 'hraþor' which means 'more quickly or eagerly'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'rather' evolved to also mean 'more willingly or readily' and eventually took on the meaning of 'to a certain or significant extent'.