See Also:

bedtime (oh) and rather (oh)


bedtime (oh)



the time when you usually go to bed
::It's way past your bedtime!
::a bedtime story

rather (oh)



[Language: Old English; Origin: hrathor 'more quickly']
fairly or to some degree
::I was rather surprised to see him with his ex-wife.
::He was limping rather badly.
::My own position is rather different .
::Abigail's always been rather a difficult child. BrE
::Isn't it rather late (=a little too late) to start changing all the arrangements?
::Actually I rather like the new style of architecture. BrE
::It was a nice house, but rather too small for a family of four. BrE
::The task proved to be rather more difficult than I had expected. BrE
would rather
used to say that you would prefer to do or have something
::I'd rather have a quiet night in front of the TV.
::We could eat later if you would rather do that.
::'I think you'd better ask her.' ' I'd rather not (=I do not want to) .'
would rather ... than ...
::I'd rather die than apologize to Helen.
::I'd rather you didn't go out alone (=I do not want you to go) .
rather than
instead of
::I think you'd call it a lecture rather than a talk.
::Rather than go straight on to university why not get some work experience first?
::Bryson decided to quit rather than accept the new rules.
or rather
used before correcting something that you have said, or giving more specific information
::We all went in Vic's car, or rather his father's.
not ... but rather ...
used to say that one thing is not true but a different thing is true
::The problem is not their lack of funding, but rather their lack of planning.
rather you/him/her/them than me
spoken used to say that you are glad that you are not going to be doing something that someone else will be doing
Rather!
BrE spoken old-fashioned used to agree with someone
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WORD CHOICE: rather, fairly, quite, pretty
Rather, fairly, quite, and pretty are all used to say that something is true to some degree, but not completely or extremely : She's rather shy. | You should find the test fairly easy. | It took quite a long time (NOT a quite long time). | His English is pretty good.
Rather is fairly formal but can be used in spoken English, especially British English. In American English it is more usual to use pretty . In both American and British English, pretty is more usual in speech than in Writing.
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 : You are quite wrong. | I quite understand your feelings.