宁愿, 宁可

Rather \Rath"er\ (r[a^][th]"[~e]r; 277), adv. [AS. hra[eth]or,
compar. of hra[eth]e, hr[ae][eth]e, quickly, immediately. See
{Rath}, a.]
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}.