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[ adverb ] on the contrary
Synonyms Examples "rather than disappoint the children, he did two quick tricks before he left" "he didn't call rather (or instead), he wrote her a letter" "used English terms instead of Latin ones" Used in print (Norman Kent, "The Watercolor Art of Roy M. Mason"...)True , a Mason watercolor is unmistakably a synthesis of nature rather than a detailed inventory . He does not insist on telling all he knows about any given subject ; rather his pictures invite the observer to draw on his memory , his imagination , his nostalgia . (John R. Sargent, "Where To Aim Your Planning for Bigger...)While many companies have done fine work in developing sales personnel , much of it has been product rather than sales training . ([Anonymous,] "The Attack on Employee Services"...)Have you permitted it to become a giveaway program rather than one that has the goal of improved employee morale and , consequently , increased productivity ? Check to see if some of your benefits - such_as on-the-job disability pay - can be put on a direct payment rather than an insured basis at a savings to you . |
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[ adverb ] to some (great or small) extent
Examples "it was rather cold" "the party was rather nice" "the knife is rather dull" "I rather regret that I cannot attend" "He's rather good at playing the cello" "he is kind of shy" Used in print (Organic Gardening and Farming,...)The flavor is neither sweet , like a pear , nor tart like an orange ; it is subtle and rather bland , nut like . (High Fidelity, 11:10...)I , for one , rather regret that Schnabel did n't collaborate with the Budapest_Quartet , whose rugged , athletic playing was a good_deal closer to this pianist 's interpretative outlook than the style of the Belgian group . The twenty-five year old recording offers rather faded string tone , but the balance between the instruments is good and the transfer is very quiet . Badura-Skoda-Vienna_Konzerthaus ( Westminster ) and Demus-Schubert_Quartet ( Deutsche_Grammophon ) are both warm_toned , pleasantly lyrical , but rather slack and tensionless . (Frank Oppenheimer, "Science and Fear-- A Discussion...)The useful suggestion of Professor_David_Hawkins which considers culture as a third stage in biological evolution fits quite beautifully then with our suggestion that science has provided us with a rather successful technique for building protective artificial environments . |
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[ adverb ] more readily or willingly
Synonyms Examples "clean it well, preferably with warm water" "I'd rather be in Philadelphia" "I'd sooner die than give up" Used in print (Organic Gardening and Farming,...)Pansies do n't have to be coddled ; they 'd rather have things rugged , with only moderate protection on the coldest days . (Glayds H. Barr, The Master of Geneva....)`` That I would rather be banished with two such Christians than be made the Chief_Syndic '' ! (John Cheever, "The Brigadier and the Golf Widow,"...)She would rather live in danger than die of loneliness and boredom . |
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[ noun ] Last name, frequency rank in the U.S. is 12151
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[ adverb ] to a degree (not used with a negative)
Synonyms Examples "quite tasty" "quite soon" "quite ill" "quite rich" |
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