[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/rather/) [dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [R](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/r/) / rather # rather adverb (rather); in phrases (would rather, rather than) «rather» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova. ## Everyday 1. Rather means quite or a little, like «rather cold». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/rather/#m1) 2. «Would rather» means would prefer: «I'd rather walk». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/rather/#m2) 3. «Rather than» means instead of. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/rather/#m3) 4. «Or rather» is used to correct yourself and say something more exactly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/rather/#m4) ### In the lessons In everyday talk, children say what they would rather do when choosing. In stories, rather is a softer way to say quite or very («It was rather dark»). In maths word problems, «rather than» shows a choice or a change. Phrases: would rather, I'd rather not, rather than, or rather, rather a lot. ### Examples - It's rather cold today, so take a coat. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/rather/#x1) - I'd rather have pizza than pasta. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/rather/#x2) - Would you rather swim or cycle? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/rather/#x3) - She chose to walk rather than take the bus. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/rather/#x4) - I'd rather not talk about it. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/rather/#x5) - He was rather tired after the match. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/rather/#x6) - The test was rather easy. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/rather/#x7) - We left at six, or rather a bit after six. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/rather/#x8) - ‘Happy!’ cried he; ‘say rather unhappy. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/rather/#x9) ### Note «Would rather» is followed by the base verb: «I'd rather go», not «I'd rather to go». «Rather» is British-sounding when it means quite; Americans often say «pretty». «Would you rather…?» is a popular question game. ## In Jewish tradition In the Psalms and Proverbs it means "in preference to" or "more than". Wisdom is chosen rather than gold. A wicked person loves falsehood rather than righteousness, and Job's soul chooses death rather than pain. **Interpretation.** The tradition reads Proverbs as teaching that wisdom is worth more than silver and gold. The words about choosing between good and evil are taken as the test of a person's heart. ### Examples - SY 2:1, 3:1, so it is interesting that in this verse the tongue is rather portrayed as one of two binary poles. (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/rather/#x1) - However, this is grammatically peculiar, as immot is usually only the construct plural of אֵם em 'mother', whose absolute plural is rather אִמָּהוֹת immahot. (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/rather/#x2) - The meaning for the SY is: God did not make things by themselves, individually, but rather, He made all things in relationship to all other things. (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/rather/#x3) - Thou lovest evil more than good; falsehood rather than speaking righteousness. (Writings PSA.52.5, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/rather/#x4) - Receive my instruction, and not silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold. (Writings PRO.8.10, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/rather/#x5) - So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than these my bones. (Writings JOB.7.15, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/rather/#x6) ### Note «Would rather» is followed by the base verb: «I'd rather go», not «I'd rather to go». «Rather» is British-sounding when it means quite; Americans often say «pretty». «Would you rather…?» is a popular question game. ## On Mova - [Trees and pragmatics of «rather» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/rather/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames. - [«rather» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/rather.html) on Mova free. - [Trees and pragmatics of «rather» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/rather/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames. - [«rather» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/rather.html) on Mova free.