| 词组 | rather |
| 释义 | rather ◊ used as adverb of degree Rather means 'to a small extent'. However, it is often used without any real meaning, but simply to soften the effect of the word or expression that follows it. For example, if someone asks you to do something, you might say 'I'm rather busy'. You mean that you are busy, but rather makes your reply seem more polite. I'm rather puzzled by this question. He did it rather badly. He looked rather pathetic standing in the rain outside. Rather usually goes in front of an adjective or an adverb, but it can also be used in front of a singular noun group. I'm in rather a hurry. He was rather a silent young man. Note that you can say either 'He was rather a silent young man' or 'He was a rather silent young man'. Rather a is more common. You can use rather in front of 'like' when you are using 'like' as a preposition. This animal looks and behaves rather like a squirrel. The food, rather like that provided by motorway cafes, has become a bit of a joke. You can also use rather in front of verbs such as 'think' and 'hope'. I rather think it was three hundred and fifty pounds. I rather hoped that one day you would get married. Note that several words and expressions can be used to say that something is the case to a smaller or greater extent. For graded lists, see section on degree in entry at ↑ ◊ used as an emphasizer Rather has a different meaning when you use it in front of words such as 'good' and 'well'. If you say that something is rather good, you are emphasizing that it is good. There's a teashop near here that does rather good toasted muffins. The company thought I did rather well. ◊ 'would rather' If you say that you would rather do something, you mean that you would prefer to do it. I'll order tea. Or perhaps you would rather have coffee. 'What was all that about?' ---'I'm sorry, I'd rather not say.' Note that in sentences like these you use an infinitive without 'to' after would rather. You can also use would rather followed by a clause to say that you would prefer something to happen or be done. In the clause you use the simple past tense. Would you rather she came to see me? 'May I go on?' ---'I'd rather you didn't.' ◊ 'rather than' Rather than is used like a conjunction to link words or expressions of the same type. You use rather than when you have said what is the case and you want to compare it with what is not the case. I have used familiar English names rather than scientific Latin ones. It made him frightened rather than angry. He had been compelled to spend most of the time talking to Mrs Harlowe rather than to her daughter. Gambling was a way of redistributing wealth rather than acquiring it. ◊ correcting a mistake You can also use rather when you are correcting a mistake you have made, or when you think of a more appropriate word than the one you have just used. Suddenly there stood before him, or rather above him, a gigantic woman. One picture speaks volumes. Or rather lies volumes. |
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