{
    "term": "rather",
    "partOfSpeech": "adverb",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "a2",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "used to mean ‘fairly’ or ‘to some degree’, often when you are disappointed, surprised or expressing slight criticism",
            "labels": "North American EnglishBritish EnglishBritish EnglishNorth American English",
            "cefr": "a2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "**rather odd/strange/unusual**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a **rather large** sum of money"
                },
                {
                    "text": "A **rather small** number of people turned up."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They took a **rather different** approach."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I thought it was a **rather good** idea."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The instructions were rather complicated."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She fell and hurt her leg rather badly."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I didn't fail the exam; in fact I did rather well!"
                },
                {
                    "text": "It was a **rather difficult** question."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It was **rather a** difficult question."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He looks rather like his father."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The patient has responded to the treatment rather better than expected."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He was conscious that he was talking **rather too** much."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I'm sorry, I've got rather a lot on my mind."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Recently she'd been thinking about him rather too much."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The rules are rather complicated."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They'd had rather a lot to drink."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "used with a verb to make a statement sound less strong",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "I've always **rather liked** Charlie."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I rather suspect we're making a mistake."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We were rather hoping you'd be able to do it by Friday."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "used to correct something you have said, or to give more accurate information",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She worked as a secretary, **or rather**, a personal assistant."
                },
                {
                    "text": "In the end he had to walk—**or rather** run—to the office."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "used to introduce an idea that is different or opposite to the idea that you have stated previously",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The walls were not white, but rather a sort of dirty grey."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The problem is not in the whole system, but rather in one small part."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "instead of somebody/something",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "I think I'll have a cold drink rather than coffee."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Why didn't you ask for help, rather than trying to do it on your own?"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "used for saying that you would not like to do something that another person is going to do",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "‘I'm going climbing tomorrow.’ ‘Rather you than me!’"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "would prefer to",
            "labels": "(especially North American English)(British English)(North American English)",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She'd rather die than give a speech."
                },
                {
                    "text": "‘Do you want to come with us?’ ‘No, I'd rather not.’"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Would you rather walk or take the bus?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "‘Do you mind if I open a window?’ ‘Well, I'd rather you didn't.’"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Personally, I'd rather see the money and resources going into education."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I'd rather have a simple product that actually works than something fancy that's just not reliable."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Preferences and decisions"]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈrɑːðə(r)/",
                "audio": "ra/rather/rather__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈræðər/",
                "audio": "ra/rather/rather__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Old English hrathor ‘earlier, sooner’, comparative of hræthe ‘without delay’, from hræth ‘prompt’, of Germanic origin."
}