rathe

adv. [ AS. hraðor, compar. of hraðe, hræðe, quickly, immediately. See Rath, a. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Earlier; sooner; before. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Thou shalt, quod he, be rather false than I. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

A good mean to come the rather to grace. Foxe. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. More readily or willingly; preferably. [ 1913 Webster ]

My soul chooseth . . . death rather than my life. Job vii. 15. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. On the other hand; to the contrary of what was said or suggested; instead. [ 1913 Webster ]

Was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse. Mark v. 26. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Of two alternatives conceived of, this by preference to, or as more likely than, the other; somewhat. [ 1913 Webster ]

He sought throughout the world, but sought in vain,
And nowhere finding, rather feared her slain. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. More properly; more correctly speaking. [ 1913 Webster ]

This is an art
Which does mend nature, change it rather, but
The art itself is nature. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. In some degree; somewhat; as, the day is rather warm; the house is rather damp. [ 1913 Webster ]

The rather, the more so; especially; for better reason; for particular cause. [ 1913 Webster ] You are come to me in happy time,
The rather for I have some sport in hand. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] --
Had rather, or
Would rather, prefer to; prefers to; as, he had rather, or would rather go than stay. “I had rather speak five words with my understanding than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.” 1 Cor. xiv. 19. See Had rather, under Had. [ 1913 Webster ]