-
used to mean ‘fairly’ or ‘to some degree’, often when you are disappointed, surprised or expressing slight criticism （常用於表示輕微的批評、失望或驚訝）相當，在某種程度上 rather odd/strange/unusual 相當奇怪/奇怪/不尋常 a rather large sum of money 一大筆錢 A rather small number of people turned up. 相當少的人出現了。 They took a rather different approach. 他們采取了相當不同的方法。 I thought it was a rather good idea. 我認爲這是個相當好的主意。 The instructions were rather complicated. 這些說明相當複雜。 She fell and hurt her leg rather badly. 她跌倒了，腿傷得相當重。 I didn't fail the exam; in fact I did rather well! 我沒有考不及格，事實上，我考得不錯！ It was a rather difficult question. 這是個相當難的問題。 It was rather a difficult question. 這真是個難題。 He looks rather like his father. 他看上去很像他的父親。 The patient has responded to the treatment rather better than expected. 病人對治療的反應比預想的好得多。 He was conscious that he was talking rather too much. 他意識到他說得實在太多了。
Which Word? quite / fairly / rather / prettyquite / fairly / rather / prettyLook at these examples: 看下列例句： The exam was fairly difficult. 這場考試頗難。
The exam was quite difficult. 這場考試相當難。
The exam was rather difficult. 這場考試十分難。
- Quite is a little stronger than fairly, and rather is a little stronger than quite. Rather is not very common in North American English; pretty has the same meaning and this is used in informal British English too:
The exam was pretty difficult. 這場考試十分難。
- In British English quite has two meanings:
I feel quite tired today 今天我感到相當累。
與表示極端狀態的形容詞（即非級差形容詞）連用，意爲完全地、絕對地： I feel quite exhausted. 我感到筋疲力盡。
與某些形容詞連用，兩種含義均有可能，究竟屬於哪一種由說話者的重音和語調決定： Your essay is quite good 你的文章還不錯（挺好，不過可以更好）；
Your essay is quite good 你的文章還不錯（挺好，不過可以更好）；
- In North American English quite usually means something like ‘very’, not ‘fairly’ or ‘rather’. Pretty is used instead for this sense.
Extra ExamplesI'm sorry, I've got rather a lot on my mind. 對不起，我的煩心事已經夠多了。 Recently she'd been thinking about him rather too much. 最近她想他想得太多了。 She looked rather well after her night in hospital. 在醫院住了一夜後，她看起來相當好。 The rules are rather complicated. 這些規則相當複雜。 They'd had rather a lot to drink. 他們甯願喝很多酒。
used with a verb to make a statement sound less strong （與動詞連用以減弱語氣）有點兒，稍微 I've always rather liked Charlie. 我一直很喜歡查理。 I rather suspect we're making a mistake. 我有點兒懷疑我們正在犯錯誤。 We were rather hoping you'd be able to do it by Friday. 我們希望你最好能在星期五之前做這件事。
-
used to correct something you have said, or to give more accurate information （糾正所說的話或提供更確切的信息）更確切地講，更準確地說 She worked as a secretary, or rather, a personal assistant. 她當了秘書；確切地講，是私人助理。 In the end he had to walk—or rather run—to the office. 最後他不得不走着，應該說是跑着，去辦公室。
Language Bank i.e.i.e.Explaining what you mean 解釋意思 Some poems are mnemonics, i.e. they are designed to help you remember something. 有些詩歌是記憶代碼，即是說，其目的是幫助人們記起某事。
Some poems are mnemonics, that is to say, they are designed to help you remember something. 有些詩歌是記憶代碼，就是說，其目的是幫助人們記起某事。
Mnemonic poems, that is poems designed to help you remember something, are an excellent way to learn lists. 記事詩，即幫助人記起事情的詩歌，是記住一系列事物的極佳方式。
A limerick’s rhyme scheme is A–A–B–B–A. In other words, the first, second, and fifth lines all rhyme with one another, while the third and fourth lines have their own rhyme. 五行打油詩的韻律是 A-A-B-B-A。就是說，第一行、第二行和第五行押一個韻，而第三行和第四行押另一個韻。
In this exercise the reader is encouraged to work out the meaning, or rather the range of meanings, of the poem. 這個練習鼓勵讀者弄清這首詩的意思，更確切地說是弄清其幾種含意。
This is a poem about death, or, more precisely, dying. 這是一首關於死亡的詩，更確切地說是關於臨終的詩。
He says his poems deal with ‘the big issues’, by which he means love, loss, grief and death. 他說他的詩涉及一些 “重大問題”，這些問題是指愛、失去、痛苦和死亡。
-
used to introduce an idea that is different or opposite to the idea that you have stated previously （提出不同或相反的觀點）相反，反而，而是
Word OriginOld English hrathor ‘earlier, sooner’, comparative of hræthe ‘without delay’, from hræth ‘prompt’, of Germanic origin.
Idioms
rather than
rather you, him, etc. than me
would rather… (than)
(usually reduced to ’d rather 通常縮寫爲 'd rather would prefer to 甯願；更喜歡 She'd rather die than give a speech. 她甯願死也不願意演講。 ‘Do you want to come with us?’ ‘No, I'd rather not.’ “你想跟我們一起來嗎？” “不，我不想去。” Would you rather walk or take the bus? 你比較喜歡步行還是坐公共汽車？ ‘Do you mind if I smoke?’ ‘Well, I'd rather you didn't.’ “你介意我抽煙嗎？” “嗯，最好别抽。” Personally, I'd rather see the money and resources going into education. 就我個人而言，我更願意看到資金和資源投入教育。 I'd rather have a simple product that actually works than something fancy that's just not reliable. 我甯願有一個簡單的産品，而不是一些不可靠的花哨的東西。
Express Yourself Expressing a preferenceTopics Preferences and decisionsb2Expressing a preference 表達喜好 These are ways of stating what your preferred choice is. Note that we sometimes discount our own expertise or authority before expressing our preference: 面對選擇時，表達自己更喜歡某事物，可用以下方式。需要注意的是在表達喜好之前，有時會先表明自己的選擇並非代表專家或權威的意見： I like the red one better than/more than the green one. 比起那個綠色的，我更喜歡紅的。
I prefer beef to lamb. 我喜歡牛肉勝於羊肉。
I'd prefer to wait here. 我甯願在這兒等。
I'd rather go to the concert than the play. 與看戲相比，我更願意去聽音樂會。
I think I'd rather stay in than go out tonight. 今晚我想待在家裏，不想外出。
I like swimming better than jogging. 比起慢跑，我更喜歡遊泳。
I think that colour's much more attractive. 我覺得那種顔色好看多了。
It doesn’t really matter to me whether we eat here or go out. 我們在這兒吃還是出去吃，我真無所謂。
I don't really mind whether we talk now or later. 我們是現在談還是以後談，我不大在意。
I’m happy either way. （兩個之中）無論哪一個我都樂意。
I don't really care either way. （這兩個）我都無所謂。
If it were up to me, I'd choose the green one. 如果讓我來選，我會選那個綠色的。
If you ask me, the old one looks better than the new one. 要問我的話，舊的那個看起來比新的好。
I’m not an expert but Design B seems more eye-catching. 我不是專家，但 B 設計似乎更搶眼。