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In my view, the Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children, under a free government ought to be instructed... No truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people.
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1828 Noah Webster Dictionary
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1828.mshaffer.com › Word [rather]

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rather

RATH'ER, adv. [I would rather go, or sooner go. The use is taken from pushing or moving forward.] [L. ante, before.] But he said, yea rather, happy are they that hear the word of God and keep it. Luke 11.]

1. More readily or willingly; with better liking; with preference or choice.

My soul chooseth strangling and death rather than life. Job. 7.

Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. John 3. Ps. 84.

2. In preference; preferably; with better reason. Good is rather to be chosen than evil. See acts 5.

3. In a greater degree than otherwise.

He sought throughout the world, but sought in vain, and no where finding, rather fear'd her slain.

4. More properly; more correctly speaking.

This is an art which does mend nature, change it rather; but the art itself is nature.

5. Noting some degree of contrariety in fact.

She was nothing better, but rather grew worse. Mark 5.

Matt. 27.

The rather, especially; for better reason; for particular cause.

You are come to me in a happy time, the rather for I have some sport in hand.

Had rather, is supposed to be a corruption of would rather.

I had rather speak five words with my understanding -

1Cor. 14.

This phrase may have been originally, "I'd rather," for I would rather, and the contraction afterwards mistaken for had. Correct speakers and writers generally use would in all such phrases; I would rather, I prefer; I desire in preference.


Evolution (or devolution) of this word [rather]

1828 Webster1844 Webster1913 Webster

RATH'ER, adv. [I would rather go, or sooner go. The use is taken from pushing or moving forward.] [L. ante, before.] But he said, yea rather, happy are they that hear the word of God and keep it. Luke 11.]

1. More readily or willingly; with better liking; with preference or choice.

My soul chooseth strangling and death rather than life. Job. 7.

Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. John 3. Ps. 84.

2. In preference; preferably; with better reason. Good is rather to be chosen than evil. See acts 5.

3. In a greater degree than otherwise.

He sought throughout the world, but sought in vain, and no where finding, rather fear'd her slain.

4. More properly; more correctly speaking.

This is an art which does mend nature, change it rather; but the art itself is nature.

5. Noting some degree of contrariety in fact.

She was nothing better, but rather grew worse. Mark 5.

Matt. 27.

The rather, especially; for better reason; for particular cause.

You are come to me in a happy time, the rather for I have some sport in hand.

Had rather, is supposed to be a corruption of would rather.

I had rather speak five words with my understanding -

1Cor. 14.

This phrase may have been originally, "I'd rather," for I would rather, and the contraction afterwards mistaken for had. Correct speakers and writers generally use would in all such phrases; I would rather, I prefer; I desire in preference.

RATH'ER, adv. [Sax. rathor, hrathor; comp. of rath, quick, prompt, hasty, ready. So we use sooner in an equivalent sense. I would rather go, or sooner go. The use is taken from pushing or moving forward. So the Italians use anzi (L. ante, before.) “Ma egli disse, anzi, beati coloro ch'odono la parola di Dio, e l'osservano.” But he said, yea rather, happy are they that hear the word of God and keep it. – Luke xi.]

  1. More readily or willingly, with better liking; with preference or choice. My soul chooseth strangling and death rather than life. – Job vii. Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. – John iii.xxxiv.
  2. In preference; preferably; with better reason. Good is rather to be chosen than evil. See Acts v.
  3. In a greater degree than otherwise. He sought throughout the world, but sought in vain, / And no where finding, rather fear'd her slain. – Dryden.
  4. More properly, more correctly speaking. This is an art / Which does mend nature, change it rather; but / The art itself is nature. – Shak.
  5. Noting some degree of contrariety in fact. She was nothing better, but rather grew worse. – Mark v. Matth. xxvii. The rather, especially; for better reason; for particular cause. You are come to me in a happy time, / The rather for I have some sport in hand. – Shak. Had rather, is supposed to be a corruption of would rather. I had rather speak five words with my understanding. – 1 Cor. xiv. This phrase may have been originally, “I'd rather,” for I would rather, and the contraction afterward mistaken for had. Correct speakers and writers generally use would in all such phrases; I would rather, I prefer; I desire in preference.

Rath"er
  1. Prior; earlier; former.

    [Obs.]

    Now no man dwelleth at the rather town. Sir J. Mandeville.

  2. Earlier; sooner; before.

    [Obs.]

    Thou shalt, quod he, be rather false than I. Chaucer.

    A good mean to come the rather to grace. Foxe.

  3. More readily or willingly; preferably.

    My soul chooseth . . . death rather than my life. Job vii. 15.

  4. On the other hand; to the contrary of what was said or suggested; instead.

    Was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse. Mark v. 26.

  5. Of two alternatives conceived of, this by preference to, or as more likely than, the other; somewhat.

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

  6. More properly; more correctly speaking.

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

  7. In some degree; somewhat; as, the day is rather warm; the house is rather damp.

    The rather, the more so; especially; for better reason; for particular cause.

    You are come to me in happy time,
    The rather for I have some sport in hand.     Shak.

    -- Had rather, or Would rather, prefer to; prefers to; as, he had, 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.

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Rather

RATH'ER, adverb [I would rather go, or sooner go. The use is taken from pushing or moving forward.] [Latin ante, before.] But he said, yea rather happy are they that hear the word of God and keep it. Luke 11:28]

1. More readily or willingly; with better liking; with preference or choice.

My soul chooseth strangling and death rather than life. Job 7:15.

Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. John 3:19. Psalms 84:10.

2. In preference; preferably; with better reason. Good is rather to be chosen than evil. See Acts 5:29.

3. In a greater degree than otherwise.

He sought throughout the world, but sought in vain, and no where finding, rather fear'd her slain.

4. More properly; more correctly speaking.

This is an art which does mend nature, change it rather; but the art itself is nature.

5. Noting some degree of contrariety in fact.

She was nothing better, but rather grew worse. Mark 5:26.

Matthew 27:24.

The rather especially; for better reason; for particular cause.

You are come to me in a happy time, the rather for I have some sport in hand.

Had rather is supposed to be a corruption of would rather

I had rather speak five words with my understanding - 1 Corinthians 14:19. This phrase may have been originally, 'I'd rather ' for I would rather and the contraction afterwards mistaken for had. Correct speakers and writers generally use would in all such phrases; I would rather I prefer; I desire in preference.

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— Charles (Mobile, AL)

Word of the Day

importance

IMPORT'ANCE, n.

1. Weight; consequence; a bearing on some interest; that quality of any thing by which it may affect a measure, interest or result. The education of youth is of great importance to a free government. A religious education is of infinite importance to every human being.

2. Weight or consequence in the scale of being.

Thy own importance know.

Nor bound thy narrow views to things below.

3. Weight or consequence in self-estimation.

He believes himself a man of importance.

4. Thing implied; matter; subject; importunity. [In these senses, obsolete.]

Random Word

flourish

FLOURISH, v.i. flur'ish. [L. floresco, from floreo. The primary sense is to open, expand, enlarge, or to shoot out, as in glory, L. ploro.]

1. To thrive; to grow luxuriantly; to increase and enlarge, as a healthy growing plant. The beech and the maple flourish best in a deep, rich and moist loam.

2. To be prosperous; to increase in wealth or honor.

Bad men as frequently prosper and flourish, and that by the means of their wickedness.

When all the workers of iniquity do flourish. Ps. 92.

3. To grow in grace and in good works; to abound in the consolations of religion.

The righteous shall flourish like the palmtree. Ps. 92.

4. To be in a prosperous state; to grow or be augmented. We say agriculture flourishes, commerce flourishes, manufactures flourish.

5. To use florid language; to make a display of figures and lofty expressions; to be copious and flowery.

They dilate and flourish long on little incidents.

6. To make bold strokes in writing; to make large and irregular lines; as, to flourish with the pen.

7. To move or play in bold and irregular figures.

Impetuous spread the stream, and smoking, flourished o're his head.

8. In music, to play with bold and irregular notes, or without settled form; as, to flourish on an organ or violin.

9. To boast; to vaunt; to brag.

FLOURISH, v.t. flur'ish.

1. To adorn with flowers or beautiful figures, either natural or artificial; to ornament with any thing showy.

2. To spread out; to enlarge into figures.

3. To move in bold or irregular figures; to move in circles or vibrations by way of show or triumph; to brandish; as, to flourish a sword.

4. To embellish with the flowers of diction; to adorn with rhetorical figures; to grace with ostentatious eloquence; to set off with a parade of words.

5. To adorn; to embellish.

6. To mark with a flourish or irregular stroke.

The day book and inventory book shall be flourished.

FLOURISH, n. flur'ish.

1. Beauty; showy splendor.

The flourish of his sober youth.

2. Ostentatious embellishment; ambitious copiousness or amplification; parade of words and figures; show; as a flourish of rhetoric; a flourish of wit.

He lards with flourishes his long harangue.

3. Figures formed by bold, irregular lines, or fanciful strokes of the pen or graver; as the flourishes about a great letter.

4. A brandishing; the waving of a weapon or other thing; as the flourish of a sword.

Noah's 1828 Dictionary

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Noah Webster, the Father of American Christian education, wrote the first American dictionary and established a system of rules to govern spelling, grammar, and reading. This master linguist understood the power of words, their definitions, and the need for precise word usage in communication to maintain independence. Webster used the Bible as the foundation for his definitions.

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No other dictionary compares with the Webster's 1828 dictionary. The English language has changed again and again and in many instances has become corrupt. The American Dictionary of the English Language is based upon God's written word, for Noah Webster used the Bible as the foundation for his definitions. This standard reference tool will greatly assist students of all ages in their studies. From American History to literature, from science to the Word of God, this dictionary is a necessity. For homeschoolers as well as avid Bible students it is easy, fast, and sophisticated.


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