different between rather vs almost

English

Alternative forms

• raither (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English rather, rether, from Old English hraþor (“sooner, earlier, more quickly”), comparative of hraþe (“hastily, quickly, promptly, readily, immediately, soon, at once, directly”), equivalent to rathe +? -er. More at rathe. Cognate with Dutch radder (“faster”), comparative of Dutch rad (“fast; quick”), German Low German radd, ratt (“rashly; quickly; hastily”), German gerade (“even; straight; direct”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) enPR: rä?th?(r), IPA^(key): /????.ð?/
• Rhymes: -??ð?(r)
• (UK) (interjection) IPA^(key): /?????ð??(?)/
• (US) enPR: r??th?r, rä?th?r, IPA^(key): /??æ.ð?/, /???.ð?/
• Rhymes: -æð?(r)
• Hyphenation: rath?er

Adverb

rather (not comparable)

1. (obsolete) More quickly. [9th-19th c.]

   Synonyms: sooner, earlier

2. Used to specify a choice or preference; preferably, in preference to. (Now usually followed by than) [from 9th c.]

   Synonym: (archaic) liefer
3. (conjunctive) Used to introduce a contradiction; on the contrary. [from 14th c.]

4. (conjunctive) Introducing a qualification or clarification; more precisely. (Now usually preceded by or.) [from 15th c.]
   • 1898, J. A. Hamilton, "Stanley, Edward George Geoffrey Smith", in Sidney Lee (Ed.), Dictionary of National Biography, Volume LIV: Stanhope–Stovin, The MacMillan Company, page 60,

     His ‘Iliad’ is spirited and polished, and, though often rather a paraphrase than a translation, is always more truly poetic than most of the best translations.

5. (degree) Somewhat, fairly. [from 16th c.]

   Synonyms: somewhat, fairly, quite

   Antonym: utterly

Usage notes

• (somewhat): This is a non-descriptive qualifier, similar to quite and fairly and somewhat. It is used where a plain adjective needs to be modified, but cannot be qualified. When spoken, the meaning can vary with the tone of voice and stress. “He was rather big” can mean anything from “not small” to “huge” (meiosis with the stress on rather).
• (preference): When expressing preference, the expression is usually would rather or had rather, usually contracted to 'd rather, but will rather and should rather also exist. In fact, use without any modal verb also exists in nonstandard and dialectal usage, in which rather is used as a verb (he rathers/rathered), see below.

Translations

Verb

rather (third-person singular simple present rathers, present participle rathering, simple past and past participle rathered)

1. (nonstandard or dialectal) To prefer; to prefer to.
   • 2002, Elizabeth Bowen, The Heat of the Day:

     So you must excuse my saying anything I did: all it was, that up to the very last I had understood us all to be friendly — apart, that is, from his rathering me not there. How was I to know he would flash out so wicked?

   • 2007, Mikel Schaefer, Lost in Katrina, page 323:

     "That was a killer," said Chris. "I'd rathered die in St. Bernard than spent one minute over there. I would have rathered the storm, shaking with the wind and rain hitting in the boat for an eternity than spending any time there.

Adjective

rather (not comparable)

1. (obsolete) Prior; earlier; former.
   • 1900, John Mandeville, The Travels of Sir John Mandeville (version in modern spelling)

     Now no man dwelleth at the rather town of Damietta.

Interjection

rather

1. (England, dated) An enthusiastic affirmation.

Anagrams

• Harter

Middle English

Alternative forms

• rathar, rathir, rathur, rathre, rether
• ræðer, hraþar, reaðere, redþer, rader, radder, radir, ratherne, raþeren (early)

Etymology

From Old English hraþor.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?ra?ð?r/

Adverb

rather

1. rather

Descendants

• English: rather
• Yola: rether

References

• “r?ther(e, adv. comparative.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

English

Alternative forms

• aulmos (Jamaican English)

Etymology

From Middle English [Term?], from Old English eallm?st (“nearly all, almost, for the most part”), equivalent to all- +? most.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /???l.m??st/, (emphatic, utterance-final) /??l.?m??st/
  • (colloquial, unaccented) IPA^(key): /???(l)m?s/
• (US) IPA^(key): /??l.mo?st/, /??l.mo?st/, /?o?.mo?st/
• Hyphenation: al?most
• Rhymes: -??st

Adverb

almost (not comparable)

1. Very close to, but not quite.

Synonyms

• (very close to, but not quite): nearly, nigh, well-nigh, near, close to, next to, practically, virtually, not yet, not

Translations

Noun

almost (plural almosts)

1. (informal) Something or someone that doesn't quite make it.

Anagrams

• Altoms, smalto, stomal