ra·ther /ˈrɑːðə $ ˈræðər/ ●●● S1 W1 predeterminer , adverb1 QUITE/FAIRLYfairly or to some degree 相當;頗I was rather surprised to see him with his ex-wife. 我看到他和前妻在一起,感到相當驚訝。
He was limping rather badly. 他腿跛得挺厲害。
My own position is rather different. 我自己的處境則很不一樣。
Abigail’s always been rather a difficult child. British EnglishBrE 阿比蓋爾一向是個挺難管的孩子。
Isn’t it rather late (=a little too late) to start changing all the arrangements? 現在改變所有安排是不是有點晚了?
Actually I rather like the new style of architecture. British EnglishBrE 事實上我很喜歡這種新建築風格。
It was a nice house, but rather too small for a family of four. British EnglishBrE 這房子很好,但對於四口之家來說太小了。
The task proved to be rather more difficult than I had expected. British EnglishBrE 這工作其實比我想象的要難很多。
2 would rather PREFERused to say that you would prefer to do or have something 甯願,甯可I’d rather have a quiet night in front of the TV. 我甯願晚上安安靜靜地看看電視。
We could eat later if you would rather do that. 如果你願意的話,我們可以晚點再吃。
‘I think you’d better ask her.’ ‘I’d rather not (=I do not want to).’ “我想你最好去問問她。”“我不想問。”
would rather ... than ...I’d rather die than apologize to Helen. 我甯可死也不會向海倫道歉。
5I’d rather you didn’t go back (= I do not want you to go ) .我不想讓你回去。
nI’d rather you didn’t go out alone (=I do not want you to go).
3 rather than instead of 而不是I think you’d call it a lecture rather than a talk. 我說啊,這是訓斥,不是談話。
Rather than go straight on to university why not get some work experience first? 與其直接上大學,爲什麽不先取得一點工作經驗呢?
Bryson decided to quit rather than accept the new rules. 布賴森決定辭職而不接受新規定。
4 or rather CORRECTused before correcting something that you have said, or giving more specific information 更確切地說We all went in Vic’s car, or rather his father’s. 我們都是坐維克的車走的,確切地說,是他父親的車。
or rather• It is fear, or rather fears, that I want to speak about in this book.• But he'd had that last night - or rather, in the small hours of the morning.• It is related to the hedgehog, or rather it belongs to the same family of insectivores.• I was usually the active partner, or rather it was usually I who initiated a kiss or an embrace.• Now I have asked Deborah whether I may speak with her son or rather listen to him.• It was really my doing, or rather my drawings, that had brought us to this brink.• Here comes the post, or rather the copter.• But puberty, or rather the onset of menstruation, changed all that. 5 not ... but rather ... INSTEADused to say that one thing is not true but a different thing is true 不是…而是…The problem is not their lack of funding, but rather their lack of planning. 問題不在於他們缺少資金,而在於缺乏計劃。
6. rather you/him/her/them than me spoken used to say that you are glad that you are not going to be doing something that someone else will be doing 還好是你/他/她/他們而不是我〔用於表示不想做别人要去做的事〕 n THESAURUSrather/quite especially British EnglishBrE more than a little, but less than very. British people often use these words before adjectives in conversation. In many cases they do not intend to change the meaning – it is just something that people sayShe seemed rather unhappy.
It’s rather a difficult question.
It’s getting quite late.
Malaria is rather common in this area.
fairly rather. Fairly is used in both British and American EnglishThe test was fairly easy.
It’s a fairly long way to the next town.
pretty spoken rather. Pretty is more informal than the other words and is used in spoken EnglishHer French is pretty good.
We’re in a pretty strong position.
reasonably to a satisfactory level or degreeHe plays reasonably well.
Let’s just say that I am reasonably confident we’ll win.
moderately formal more than a little, but not veryHer family was moderately wealthy.
The food was moderately good, but not as good as the food in the other restaurants.
Use a moderately high heat.
a moderately difficult climb
somewhat formal fairly or to a small degree. Somewhat is used especially when talking about the size or degree of something. It is often used in comparativesThe celebrations were somewhat larger than last year’s.
He looked somewhat irritated.
a somewhat surprising decision
n GRAMMAR: Patterns with ratherYou say that you would rather do something: I would rather play than study.
✗Don’t say: I would rather to play than study. You say that you would rather be something: I would rather be rich than poor.
✗Don’t say: I would rather to be rich than poor. You say that you would rather someone did something: I would rather you came in spring.
You say that you would rather someone did not do something, when you don’t want them to do it in the future: I would rather you didn’t say that.
You say that you would rather someone had not done something, when criticizing them for something they have done in the past: I would rather you hadn’t said that.