rather
predeterminer, adv
ˈrɑːðə predeterminer, adv
1 fairly or to some degree 相当; 颇 BrE BrE BrE BrE
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.
BrE 【英】 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.
BrE 【英】 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.
BrE 【英】 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.
BrE 【英】 这件事结果比我想象的要难得多。
2
would rather
used 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.
我宁愿看看电视，安安静静地过一个晚上。
We could eat later if you would rather do that.
如果你想的话，我们可以晚点吃的。
‘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。
I’d rather you didn’t go out alone (=I do not want you to go) .
我想你还是不要一个人出门。
3
rather than
instead 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.
布赖森决定辞职，不去接受新的规定。
4
or rather
used 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。
5
not … but rather …
used 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.
问题不在于他们缺少资金，而在于缺乏计划。
6
rather you/him/her/them than me
used to say that you are glad that you are not going to be doing something that someone else will be doing [口] 你/他/她/他们去吧，我不去〔用于表示不想做别人要去做的事〕 spoken
7
Rather!
used to agree with someone [英，口，过时] 当然！ 的确！ BrE spoken old-fashioned
8
Rather fairly quite pretty
, , and are all used to say that something is true to some degree, but not completely or extremely. rather，fairly，quite 和 pretty 都指某事在某种程度上是真实的，但不完全真实
She’s rather shy.
她有点害羞。
You should find the test fairly easy.
你应该觉得测验相当容易。
It took quite a long time (NOT 不说 a quite long time) .
这事花了很长时间。
His English is pretty good.
他的英语相当不错。
9
Rather pretty pretty
is fairly formal but can be used in spoken English, especially British English. In American English it is more usual to use . In both American and British English, is more usual in speech than in writing. rather有点正式，但可用于口语，尤其是在英国英语里。 在美国英语中更常用 pretty。 在美国英语和英国英语中 pretty 在口语中用得均比书面语中多。
10
Quite
can also be used in front of an adjective or adverb, and in British English a verb, to mean ‘completely’. This is a fairly formal use. quite也可用于形容词或副词前，在英国英语中也用于动词前，指“完全地”。 这是相当正式的用法
You are quite wrong.
你完全错了。
I quite understand your feelings.
我完全理解你的感受。