rather Copy link Outline I. In preference1. pŏtius; with superl. pŏtissĭmum (rather than any other, where more than two objects are compared)2. cĭtius (sooner, more readily)3. lĭbentius (with the more pleasure, more gladly)4. prĭus (before something else; thus implying preference without directly expressing it)5. expr. to have rather or in preference, by mālo, 3, irr.II. With reference to a point of fact, more truly; with greater propriety of language1. măgis2. pŏtius3. in lively conversation, immo (īmo), immo vero, immo ĕnimvēro, immo etiam4. quīn, quin etiam, quin immo (like preced., but used to carry on what has been said by the same speaker)III. In some degree; considerably1. expr. by comp. adj. or adv.2. use verb, adj., or adv., compounded with sub3. paulo (a little; usu. with comparatives)4. ălĭquantum, ălĭquanto (considerably, a good deal; expressing more than paulo) • rather: I. In preference: 1. pŏtius; with superl. pŏtissĭmum (rather than any other, where more than two objects are compared): tell us r. the matter as it stands, rem potius ipsam dic, Ter. Andr. 5, 3, 2: r. late than never, potius sero quam nunquam, Liv. 4, 2. he endured everything r. than declare ..., perpessus est omnia potius quam indicaret (where ut is not used), Cic. Tusc. 2, 22, 52: Virginius slew his daughter r. than she should be given up, occidit filiam potius quam ea dederetur, ib. 2, 20, 66: also with ut: that they would die a thousand times r. than allow so great a disgrace to be incurred, se millies morituros potius quam ut tantum dedecus admitti patiantur, Liv. 4, 2: their forefathers would encounter anything r. than suffer ..., majores quamlibet dimicationem subituros fuisse potius quam ... paterentur, Liv. 4, 2 (where ut is not used): which course of life of all they would r. follow, quem potissimum vitae cursum sequi vellent, Cic. Off. 1, 33, 119. 2. cĭtius (sooner, more readily): the Magnesians would r. maltreat their own bodies than break their alliance, Magnetas in corpora sua c. saevituros, quam ut Romanam amicitiam violarent, Liv. 35, 31: also without ut: I would r. have broken off the old association than have formed a new one, ego c. veterem conjunctionem diremissem, quam novam conciliassem, Cic. Fam. 3, 10. 3. lĭbentius (with the more pleasure, more gladly): so much the r. because ..., eo l. quod ..., Nep. Ages. 6: or if you would r. be called Janus, seu Jane l. audis, Hor. S. 2, 6, 20: I would r. speak of Scipio, de Scipione dicam l., Cic. Am. 25. 4. prĭus (before something else; thus implying preference without directly expressing it): the consuls were prepared to act as leaders against the wickedness of the citizens, r. than against the arms of the enemy, consules paratos esse duces p. adversus scelus civium quam adversus hostium arma, Liv. 4, 2: Gracchus would r. die by the severest death than that an executioner should stand in an assembly of his, moreretur p. acerbissima morte Gracchus, quam in ejus contione carnifex consisteret, Cic. Rabir. 5, 15. 5. expr. to have rather or in preference, by mālo, 3, irr.: mālo, I had r. (pres. indic., usu. of things certain; pres. subj., of things uncertain; imperf. subj., of things unattainable; see Zumpt, L. G. § 528; St. L. G. § 446, Obs.): I had much r. abide by my own judgment than ..., meo judicio ... stare multo m. quam omnium reliquorum, Cic. Att. 12, 21: I had much r. you should be safe, multo m. vos salvos esse, Liv. 3, 68: those who had r. trust themselves to a reader, qui se lectori credere malunt, Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 214: I would r. you had given me riches (i. e., but have no hope of them), mallem divitias mihi dedisses, Cat. 21, 4: I would r. take away (i. e., if I had the means), mallem auferre potius, Ter. Ad. 2, 2, 14. II. With reference to a point of fact, more truly; with greater propriety of language: 1. măgis: I envy not, I r. admire, non equidem invideo, miror m., Virg. E. 1, 11: passion is to be pardoned r. than indulged, irae ignoscendum m. quam indulgendum, Liv. 3, 53: the tribunate is to be wished for r. than expected, optandus m. quam sperandus, id. 4, 15. 2. pŏtius: (Cato) a great, or r., a consummate and unique man, magnus homo, vel p. summus et singularis vir, Cic. Br. 85, 293. 3. in lively conversation, immo (īmo), immo vero, immo ĕnimvēro, immo etiam: (on the contrary, yea r., correcting what has been said): (does she remember Mnesilochus?), r. does she value him alone above everything, i. unice unum plurimi pendit, Pl. Bac. 2, 2, 29: (is the cause not a good one?), nay r. it is excellent, i. optima, Cic. Att. 9, 7: (shall the son remain silent?), yea r. will he entreat ..., i. vero obsecrabit ..., Cic. Off. 3, 23, 90: yea r. on the contrary, immo edepol vero, Pl. Most. 3, 2, 79: (do you thus deceive this man?), yea r. he deceives me, immo enimvero ... hic me decipit, Ter. Phorm. 3, 2, 43. 4. quīn, quin etiam, quin immo (like preced., but used to carry on what has been said by the same speaker): r. do I myself desire to take flight hence, quin hinc ipse evolare cupio, Cic. Fam. 7, 30: r. do you listen, q. tu audi, Pl. Bac. 2, 3, 42: yea r. ought he to defend his father, q. etiam defendat patrem, Cic. Off. 3, 23, 90: yea r. when Caepio rose ... he was cheered (contrary to the usual practice), q. immo consurgenti (Caepioni) ... acclamatum est, Plin. Ep. 4, 9. (N.B.--In both I. and II. magis or potius is sometimes omitted, and quam alone used: e. g. he determined to engage r. than retreat, statuit congredi, quam refugere, Nep. Dat. 8: a silent woman is a jewel r. than a talkative, tacita bona est mulier, quam loquens, Pl. Rud. 4, 4, 70: r. let me live a widow than endure ..., quin vidua vivam quam mores tuos perferam, Pl. Merc. 5, 1, 26. But this idiom is better not imitated.) Phr.: so far is this from being the case that r. ..., tantum abest ut ..., ut..., Cic. Am. 14, 51: if that is a law and not r. ..., si illa lex est, ac non ..., Auct. dom. 50, 128: so that you would call him a guide r. than a companion, ut ducem non comitem diceres, Cic. Am. 25, 96. III. In some degree; considerably: 1. expr. by comp. adj. or adv.: r. slow, tardior, Cic. Sen. 6, 20: a r. severe judge, judex durior, id. Fin. 2, 19, 62: this man lives r. frugally, parcius hic vivit, ib. 49. 2. use verb, adj., or adv., compounded with sub: I was r. ashamed, eorum me subpudebat, Cic. Fam. 9, 1: r. disrespectfully, subcontumeliose, Cic. Att. 2, 7; r. angry, subiratus, Cic. de Or. 1, 16, 72: r. obscure, subobscurus, id. Br. 27, 67: r. high meat, caro subrancida, id. in Pis. 27, 67. 3. paulo (a little; usu. with comparatives): r. earlier than the season required, maturius p. quam tempus anni postulabat, Caes. B. G. 1, 1, 54: he will use this ornament r. more freely ..., hoc ornamento liberius p. quam ceteris utetur, Cic. Or. 24, 82: r. too far, p. longius, Caes. B. G. 2, 20: I know that r. more men in the senate are ill-natured than grateful, cognovi p. plures ... malevolos esse quam gratos, Cic. ad Brut. 1, 15, med.: when he drinks r. too much, ubi adbibit plus p., Ter. Heaut. 2, 1, 8: if one (damsel) is r. stouter (than the rest), si qua est habitior p., Ter. Eun. 2, 3, 23: r. higher in rank than a private man, p. amplius quam privatus, Cic. Verr. Act. 1, 13, 37: r. more than 200 paces from the camp, p. plus ducentos passus a castris Romanis, Liv. 31, 34: to be absent from home r. longer (than usual), ab domo p. diutius abesse, Liv. 5, 4. 4. ălĭquantum, ălĭquanto (considerably, a good deal; expressing more than paulo): the form aliquanto being used only with comparatives: a form r. larger and more majestic than that of a man, forma aliquantum amplior augustiorque humana, Liv. 1, 7: his brother is r. more eagerly set on the object, ejus frater aliquantum ad rem est avidior, Ter. Eun. 1, 2, 51: perhaps he was r. more severe than he liked, fortasse aliquanto iniquior erat praeter ejus libidinem, Ter. Heaut. 1, 2, 27.