Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Rather \Rath"er\, a. [Compar. of {Rath}, a.]
   Prior; earlier; former. [Obs.]

         Now no man dwelleth at the rather town.  --Sir J.
                                                  Mandeville.

Rather \Rath"er\, adv. [AS. hra[eth]or, compar. of hra[eth]e,
   hr[ae][eth]e, quickly, immediately. See {Rath}, a.]
   1. Earlier; sooner; before. [Obs.]

            Thou shalt, quod he, be rather false than I.
                                                  --Chaucer.

            A good mean to come the rather to grace. --Foxe.

   2. More readily or willingly; preferably.

            My soul chooseth . . . death rather than my life.
                                                  --Job vii. 15.

   3. On the other hand; to the contrary of what was said or
      suggested; instead.

            Was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse. --Mark
                                                  v. 26.

   4. Of two alternatives conceived of, by preference to, or as
      more likely than, the other; somewhat.

            He sought throughout the world, but sought in vain,
            And nowhere finding, rather feared her slain.
                                                  --Dryden.

   5. More properly; more correctly speaking.

            This is an art Which does mend nature, change it
            rather, but The art itself is nature. --Shak.

   6. In some degree; somewhat; as, the day is rather warm; the
      house is rather damp.

   {The rather}, the more so; especially; for better reason; for
      particular cause.

            You are come to me in happy time, The rather for I
            have some sport in hand.              --Shak.
      

   {Had rather}, or {Would rather}, prefer to; prefers to; as,
      he had, or would, rather go than stay. ``I had rather
      speak five words with my understanding than ten thousands
      words in an unknown tongue.'' --1 Cor. xiv. 19. See {Had
      rather}, under {Had}.

Source : WordNet®

rather
     adv 1: on the contrary; "rather than disappoint the children, he
            did two quick tricks before he left"; "he didn't call;
            rather (or instead), he wrote her a letter"; "used
            English terms instead of Latin ones" [syn: {instead}]
     2: to some (great or small) extent; "it was rather cold"; "the
        party was rather nice"; "the knife is rather dull"; "I
        rather regret that I cannot attend"; "He's rather good at
        playing the cello"; "he is kind of shy" [syn: {kind of}, {kinda},
         {sort of}]
     3: more readily or willingly; "clean it well, preferably with
        warm water"; "I'd rather be in Philadelphia"; "I'd sooner
        die than give up" [syn: {preferably}, {sooner}]
     4: to a degree (not used with a negative); "quite tasty";
        "quite soon"; "quite ill"; "quite rich" [syn: {quite}]