Rath·er adv.
 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, this 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 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.
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