rather

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The term 'Kung Fu' does not relate to any specific form of martial art, but rather translates as 'skill' or 'ability'.

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Definitions (26)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (7)

  1. adverb More readily; preferably: I'd rather go to the movies.
  2. adverb With more reason, logic, wisdom, or other justification.
  3. adverb More exactly; more accurately: He's my friend, or rather he was my friend.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (13)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (2)

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (4)

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Examples (47)

  • Not a quick pick me up--rather, a stubbornly slow one.
  • The ichor actually has naught to do with a chorus, being rather the Greek word for the ethereal fluid that flowed in the veins of the Gods in place of blood; it has in English taken on more practical meanings to do with emanating fluids.
  • He wrote in Latin rather than the Italian vernacular and, being a colorful person, he even wrote a few letters to Virgil and Cicero of Ancient Rome —  Conservapedia - Recent changes [en]
  • It wasn't until 1857, when Matthew Arnold took on the position, that it started to resemble its modern form: Arnold was the first professor to deliver his lectures in English rather than Latin, and to speak about contemporary literature. —  Expecting Rain
  • Not because using Linux is difficult -- rather, the task at hand with getting personnel and equipment up to the challenge is daunting. —  Intranet Journal
 

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Roget's II Roget's II: The New Thesaurus

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Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English, from Old English hrathor, comparative of hræthe, quickly, soon, from hræth, quick.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. from Middle English rather, rether, from Anglo-Saxon hrathor, more quickly, sooner, earlier, comparative of hrathe, quick, soon, early: see rath, adv. Cf. superlative rathest (obsolete), from Middle English rathest, ratheste, soonest, earliest, from Anglo-Saxon hrathost: see rath.
 

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/ˈræðər/
by American Heritage

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