rather

1. PHRASE You use rather than when you are contrasting two things or situations. Rather than introduces the thing or situation that is not true or that you do not want. 而不是

The problem was psychological rather than physiological. 這是個(gè)心理而不是生理問(wèn)題。

2. CONJ Rather is also a conjunction. 而不是

She made students think for themselves, rather than telling them what to think. 她讓學(xué)生們自己思考，而不是告訴他們思考什么。

3. ADV You use rather when you are correcting something that you have just said, especially when you are describing a particular situation after saying what it is not. (尤指修正上文時(shí)) 更確切地說(shuō)[ADV with cl/group]

Twenty million years ago, Idaho was not the arid place it is now. Rather, it was warm and damp, populated by dense primordial forest. 2000萬(wàn)年前，愛(ài)達(dá)荷州不像現(xiàn)在這樣干旱。確切地說(shuō)，它那時(shí)溫暖潮濕，生長(zhǎng)著茂密的原始森林。

4. PHRASE If you say that you would rather do something or you'd rather do it, you mean that you would prefer to do it. If you say that you would rather not do something, you mean that you do not want to do it. 寧愿/寧愿不

If it's all the same to you, I'd rather work at home. 如果對(duì)你來(lái)說(shuō)都一樣，我寧愿在家工作。

Kids would rather play than study. 孩子們寧愿玩而不愿學(xué)習(xí)。

5. ADV You use rather to indicate that something is true to a fairly great extent, especially when you are talking about something unpleasant or undesirable. (尤指談?wù)摿钊瞬豢斓氖聲r(shí)) 相當(dāng)?shù)?/p>

I grew up in rather unusual circumstances. 我在相當(dāng)不尋常的環(huán)境中長(zhǎng)大。

I'm afraid it's a rather long story. 我恐怕這是個(gè)相當(dāng)長(zhǎng)的故事。

6. ADV You use rather before verbs that introduce your thoughts and feelings, in order to express your opinion politely, especially when a different opinion has been expressed. (尤指有禮貌地表達(dá)相反意見(jiàn)) 或多或少地[英國(guó)英語(yǔ)] [ADV before v]

I rather think he was telling the truth. 我或多或少地相信他在說(shuō)真話。