WordWeight : Weighing the Words

Pronunciation : Rath"er
Part of Speech : a.
Etymology : [Compar. of Rath, a.]
Definition : Defn: Prior; earlier; former. [Obs.] Now no man dwelleth at the rather town. Sir J. Mandeville.
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913

Pronunciation : Rath"er
Part of Speech : adv.
Etymology : [AS. hrathor, compar. of hrathe, hr?\'ebe, quickly, immediately. See Rath, a.]
Definition : 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 Unabridged Dictionary, 1913