rather

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rather
[ˈrɑːðə(r)]
adverbio
1(preferably)
  • I'd rather stay -> preferiría quedarme
  • I'd rather not go -> preferiría no ir
  • rather you than me! -> ¡no quisiera estar en tu lugar!
2más bien (more exactly)
  • he seemed tired or, rather, bored -> parecía cansado o, más bien, aburrido
3bastante (quite); muy (very)
  • I rather liked it -> me gustó mucho
4(instead of)
  • rather than him -> en vez or lugar de él
  • rather than staying -> en vez or lugar de quedarse

Copyright © 2006 Chambers Harrap Publishers Limited

rather [ra-dar]
adverbio
1De mejor gana; más bien, antes; puede ser; tal vez, quizá; algo, un poco.
  • He looks rather like Tony -> se parece un poco a Tony
2Antes, con preferencia a otra cosa.
3Antes bien, más presto.
4Por mejor decir; al contrario.
5Muy; en sentido irónico. (Familiar) (m)
  • I would rather go than stay -> más quisiera irme que quedarme
  • I had rather -> (o mejor) I would rather, me gustaría más, preferiría
  • This work is rather expensive -> no deja de ser cara esta obra
  • He was rather noisy -> era bastante ruidoso
  • I would rather not -> preferiría que no, más bien no
  • Men loved darkness rather than light -> los hombres preferían las tinieblas a la luz
  • The rather as, the rather for -> tanto más que; tanto mejor que
  • She is rather pretty -> es bastante bonita
  • The yellow, or rather the buff, tint -> el matiz amarillo, por mejor decir, el de ante

Velazquez® Spanish and English Dictionary. Copyright © 2007 by Velazquez® Press. All rights reserved.

rather [ˈrɑːðəʳ]
adverb
1 (preference)
A rather than B
we decided to camp, rather than stay at a hotel decidimos acampar, en lugar de quedarnos en un hotel; I'll stay rather than go alone prefiero quedarme a ir solo; I'd rather have this one than that prefiero este a aquel; "would you like a sweet?" — "I'd rather have an apple" —¿quieres un caramelo? —preferiría una manzana
I'd rather have sherry
would you rather stay here? ¿prefieres quedarte?; I'd rather stay in tonight preferiría no salir esta noche; I'd rather he didn't come to the party preferiría que no viniera a la fiesta
anything rather than that!anything (humorous) ¡cualquier cosa menos eso!
play anything rather than that toca cualquier cosa que no sea eso
I'd rather notnot prefiero no hacerlo
I'd rather not say prefiero no decirlo
"I'm going to have it out with the boss" — "rather you than me!"you —voy a planteárselo al jefe —¡allá tú!
rather than disappoint her, I decided to go I'd like it done sooner rather than later I'd rather [die]! I'd [much] rather go alone
2 (somewhat) algo; un poco
he looks rather like his motherlike se parece un poco a su madre
I feel rather more happy todaymore hoy me siento algo más contento
I rather suspected as muchsuspected me lo sospechaba
I rather think he won't comethink me inclino a creer que no vendrá
that is rather too deartoo es algo caro (para mí etc);etc
the fruit is rather like a sweet chestnut it is rather more difficult than you think
3 (quite) bastante
it's a rather difficult task it's rather a difficult task es una tarea bastante difícil
we were rather tired estábamos bastante cansados; I was rather disappointed quedé bastante decepcionado; he did rather well in the exam le fue bastante bien en el examen; "isn't she pretty?" — "yes, she is rather" —¿es guapa, eh? —sí, bastante; "are you keen to go?" — "yes, I am rather" —¿tienes ganas de ir? —sí que quiero
there's rather a lotlot hay bastante
£20! that's rather a lot! ¡20 libras! ¡es bastante caro!; I've got rather a lot of homework to do tengo muchos deberes que hacer
it's rather a pitypity es una pena lástima;or
I'm in rather a [hurry] I rather [like] the decorative effect
4 (more accurately)
rather it is a matter of money antes es cuestión de dinero; es al contrario más bien cuestión de dinero;or or rather o mejor dicho; es decir; a car, or rather an old banger un coche, o mejor dicho, un trasto viejo
he explained what the Crux is, or rather, what it was suddenly there stood before him, or rather above him, a gigantic woman
interjection
(old-fashioned) ¡ya lo creo!; ¡cómo no!; (LAm)
"would you like some?" — "rather!" ¿quieres algo de esto? — ¡ya lo creo! ¡por supuesto!;or

Collins Complete Spanish Electronic Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

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Word of the Day: la carcajada

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hearty laughter, raucous laughter, guffaw