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1.相当,颇,有点儿
I'm feeling rather sleepy.
我有点困倦.
2.(常与would或had连用)宁可,宁愿;(与其...)倒不如;而不是
He would rather play than work.
他宁可玩,却不愿工作.
I'd rather you knew that now,than afterwards.
与其以后让你知道,不如现在就让你知道.
I'll never be dependent on anyone again.I'd rather starve.
我再也不依靠任何人了.我宁愿饿死.
3.(常与or连用)更确切地说
He left late last night,or rather early this morning.
他昨夜很晚,或者应该说是今天一大早才走.
4.【英】(用于回答问题)确是如此;当然
课文中出现的一句话:
They knew,or rather thought that their father was on the same train.他们知道,或者说他们认为他们的父亲是在同一列车上的.
这里or rather是固定短语,意为"或者说;更确切地说".那么rather还有哪些用法呢?
一、 用作程度副词,意为"稍微;有点;颇;相当"
1.rather可以修饰形容词、副词的原级、比较级等;可以与介词短语连用.如:
She was rather hurt by his unkind words.
She's rather better today.
She looks rather like her father.
These materials are rather too difficult for the seniors.
2.rather放在不定冠词a（n）前后均可.如:
Miss Smart has got a rather（=rather a） good voice.
二、 用作副词,意为"宁可,宁愿"
1.rather than意为"而不是;与其……不如",后接名词、代词、形容词、动词原形等.如:
These shoes are comfortable rather than pretty.
Rather than allow the vegetables to go bad,he sold them at half price.
It is he rather than I who is to blame.
2.would rather do...than do...=would do...rather than do...宁愿做……而不愿做…….如:
I would go there by bus rather than take the train.
3.prefer to do...rather than do...宁愿做……而不愿做…….如:
We prefer to receive money rather than the usual gifts.
三、 用作感叹词,意为"当然"
- Would you like a swim?
- Rather.
四、 习惯用语及搭配
1.or rather更确切,更恰当； 更接近.如:
He went home very late last night,or rather,in the early hours this morning.
2.would rather意为"宁愿",后接动词原形,其否定形式是would rather not do.如:
Which would you rather have,tea or coffee?
American young people would rather get advice from strangers.
3.I would rather that...这是虚拟语气形式,若从句表示与现在或将来的情况相反,用一般过去时;与过去的事实相反,用过去完成时.如:
I would rather you came tomorrow.
I'd rather you hadn't told her the news yesterday.
