I was rather surprised to see him with his ex-wife.
我看到他和前妻在一起,感到相当惊讶。
He was limping rather badly.
他腿跛得挺厉害。
My own position is rather different.
我自己的处境则很不一样。
Abigail’s always been rather a difficult child.British EnglishBrE
阿比盖尔一向是个挺难管的孩子。
Isn’t it rather late (=a little too late) to start changing all the arrangements?
现在改变所有安排是不是有点晚了?
Actually I rather like the new style of architecture.British EnglishBrE
事实上我很喜欢这种新建筑风格。
It was a nice house, but rather too small for a family of four.British EnglishBrE
这房子很好,但对于四口之家来说太小了。
The task proved to be rather more difficult than I had expected.British EnglishBrE
这工作其实比我想象的要难很多。
2would ratherPREFERused to say that you would prefer to do or have something 宁愿,宁可
I’d rather have a quiet night in front of the TV.
我宁愿晚上安安静静地看看电视。
We could eat later if you would rather do that.
如果你愿意的话,我们可以晚点再吃。
‘I think you’d better ask her.’ ‘I’d rather not (=I do not want to).’
“我想你最好去问问她。”“我不想问。”
would rather ... than ...
I’d rather die than apologize to Helen.
我宁可死也不会向海伦道歉。
5I’d rather you didn’t go back (= I do not want you to go ) .
我不想让你回去。
nI’d rather you didn’t go out alone (=I do not want you to go).
Examples from the Corpus
would rather• I'd rather not talk about it, okay?• I would ratherdie than retreat.• We could eat later, if you would rather do that.• Some members would abandon the evangelical parts of the platform, while others would rather give up politics.• He would rather go down fighting, and try to salvage whatever he could from the wreckage of his dreams.• I had the money, and there was nothing I would rather have spent it for than coming to you.• But she loves to read and would ratherlisten to the radio than watch television.• I would ratherstay home tonight.• Most people would rather stay home with their kids.• I would rathertasteash on my tongue than blood in my mouth.• Beach says her generation, however, would rathervisit with friends, play sports and watch television.
3rather thaninstead of 而不是
I think you’d call it a lecture rather than a talk.
我说啊,这是训斥,不是谈话。
Rather than go straight on to university why not get some work experience first?
与其直接上大学,为什么不先取得一点工作经验呢?
Bryson decided to quit rather than accept the new rules.
4or ratherCORRECTused before correcting something that you have said, or giving more specific information 更确切地说
We all went in Vic’s car, or rather his father’s.
我们都是坐维克的车走的,确切地说,是他父亲的车。
Examples from the Corpus
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 activepartner, or rather it was usually I who initiated a kiss or an embrace.• Now I have asked Deborah whether I may speak with her sonor ratherlisten 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.
5not ... 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.
6.rather you/him/her/them than mespoken used to say that you are glad that you are not going to be doing something that someone else will be doing 还好是你/他/她/他们而不是我〔用于表示不想做别人要去做的事〕
rather/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 say
She 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 English
The 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 English
Let’s just say that I am reasonably confident we’ll win.
moderately formal more than a little, but not very
Her 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 comparatives
The celebrations were somewhat larger than last year’s.
He looked somewhat irritated.
a somewhat surprising decision
nGRAMMAR: Patterns with rather
You 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: