| 单词 | had rather |
| 释义 | > as lemmashad rather a. In the past subjunctive, with adjective or (later) adverb in the comparative or superlative or with as, as had better, had liefer, had rather, had sooner; had best, had liefest; †had as good, had as soon, had as well, etc. Used to express a preference for something, or the (comparative) desirability of something. Cf. similar constructions with would (will v.1 4a).In Old and Middle English, the comparative adjectives liefer, better, etc., were constructed with be and the dative, e.g. him were better ‘it would be better for him’ (see e.g. better adj. 4a(a), lief adj. 1c). Constructions with have and the nominative arose in Middle English, as he had better ‘he would hold or find it better or preferable’. Use with positive and superlative adjectives arose later, as did use with adverbs (apparently from a reinterpretation of liefer, better, etc., in these constructions as adverbs).Some individual constructions are also treated more fully at the adjectives and adverbs, as had better at better adj. 4b, had rather at rather adv. 8d, etc.In some instances of the contracted form 'd, e.g. I'd rather, it is unclear whether the full form is had or would. ΚΠ c1300 St. Mary Magdalen (Laud) l. 321 in C. Horstmann Early S.-Eng. Legendary (1887) 471 In þe .se. þou miȝhtest ful sone hente schame—Ȝuyt hadde ich leouere ich were i-huld. c1330 (?a1300) Guy of Warwick (Auch.) p. 478 Ar ich wald creaunt ȝeld me Ich hadde leuer an-hanged be. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Fairf. 14) l. 6235 We had leyuer [Vesp. vs leuer war] euermare. to serue in egipte..þen in þe wildernes to dey. a1470 T. Malory Morte Darthur (Winch. Coll. 13) (1990) II. 715 Of all knyghtes..I had levyste have you. 1478 M. Paston in Paston Lett. & Papers (2004) I. 381 I had rathere þat ȝe neuer maryd in your lyffe. 1485 W. Caxton tr. Paris & Vienne (1957) 40 She had as leef to deye as to lyue. a1500 W. Hilton Mixed Life (Royal) in G. G. Perry Eng. Prose Treat. (1921) 25 Thei had welle lever haue bene stille. a1500 (?a1400) Sir Torrent of Portyngale (1887) l. 1186 (MED) Better he had to haue be away. 1523 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles I. f. lxix/2 They had rather that their lorde therle shulde take..the kyng of Englandes doughter. a1533 Ld. Berners tr. A. de Guevara Golden Bk. M. Aurelius (1546) sig. L.vij I had rather to bee Cato. 1559 W. Cuningham Cosmogr. Glasse 61 You had best omit the worke. a1586 Sir P. Sidney Apol. Poetrie (1595) sig. I3 Poesie..like Venus..had rather be troubled in the net with Mars, then enioy the homelie quiet of Vulcan. 1595 True Trag. Richard Duke of Yorke in First Sketches (1843) 169 I thinke I had as good Goe with you. a1616 W. Shakespeare Comedy of Errors (1623) ii. ii. 36 Sconce call you it?.. I had rather haue it a head. View more context for this quotation a1616 W. Shakespeare Twelfth Night (1623) iii. ii. 30 I had as liefe be a Brownist, as a Politician. View more context for this quotation 1665 C. Cotton Scarronnides 133 He Had better farr upon the sea..have been drown'd. 1712 J. Addison Spectator No. 287. ¶3 There had better be none at all. 1760 Crit. Rev. Feb. 112 We had sooner pass through all the stages of this ill-favoured disease a second time, than give a second perusal to this very learned explanation of it. 1768 O. Goldsmith Good Natur'd Man ii. 29 You had as good make a point of first giving away yourself. 1774 A. Smith Let. 20 Sept. in Corr. (1977) cxxxxiii. 174 The different branches of medical knowledge are..taught so superficially that they had as well not be taught at all. 1847 F. Marryat Children of New Forest II. vi. 138 I had rather that you had fired through his arm. 1859 A. Trollope Bertrams III. i. 21 I'd as lief have an old man as a young one; perhaps liefer. 1878 W. H. Mallock New Republic 145 I had best not give her any. 1915 Everybody's Mag. June 771/1 One had as soon imagine a house without a roof..as to imagine a grandfather without a hat. 1919 T. S. Eliot Let. 14 May (1988) I. 293 I feel terribly cut up about it, because I had rather it had been anyone in the world but you. 1952 G. W. Brace Spire (1953) xx. 195 Hadn't you better drop out and make a new start in the autumn? 1993 C. MacDougall Lights Below 41 The reasons for staying away were gone. He'd as well be here as anyplace else. 2004 Times Lit. Suppl. 10 Sept. 13/3 Her rebuke was strong enough for Dodgson to decide he had best keep his distance. had rather d. had rather: would rather; (see have v. 47c). †Hence to have rather (rare): to choose or prefer..rather.The infinitive after had or have is sometimes preceded by to. ΘΚΠ the mind > will > free will > choice or choosing > types of choice > choose in specific way [verb (transitive)] > choose in preference to others have1340 prefera1393 to have rather1478 fain1483 prelect1620 dextralize1651 antepone1656 savour1714 preference1904 1478 M. Paston in Paston Lett. & Papers (2004) I. 381 I had rathere þat ȝe neuer maryd in your lyffe. ?c1500 in R. H. Robbins Secular Lyrics 14th & 15th Cent. (1952) 217 Yett haid I rether dye for his sake. 1523 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles I. 157 He had rather they had bene taken prisoners. 1551 R. Robinson tr. T. More Vtopia sig. Ai Bicause I had be good then wise rather. 1595 T. Bedingfield tr. N. Machiavelli Florentine Hist. vi. 155 Which if we be not able to defend, then haue we rather to submit our selues to anie other Prince then to thy selfe. 1667 Earl of Orrery Coll. State Lett. (1743) II. 311 I had much rather to do it than say it. 1685 tr. B. Gracián y Morales Courtiers Oracle 18 To have rather be indifferent in a sublime employment, than excellent in an indifferent, is a desire rendred excusable by Generosity. 1719 D. Defoe Farther Adventures Robinson Crusoe 114 Our Men had much rather the Weather had been calm. 1774 M. Delany Autobiogr. & Corr. (1862) 2nd Ser. II. 36 I had rather hear it than any of their modern Operas and Consorts. 1819 P. B. Shelley Ess. & Lett. (1852) II. 155 I had rather err with Plato than be right with Horace. 1875 J. Ruskin Fors Clavigera V. lv. 189 I had rather come and draw the cart. 1901 W. James Mem. & Stud. (1911) vii. 150 With all these things, infected by their previous mystery-mongering discoverers, even our best friends had rather avoid complicity. 1959 M. Spark Memento Mori viii. 116 Mrs. Pettigrew had rather worked alone, but the heavy costs deterred her. 1988 I. Colegate Deceits of Time (1990) 18 I had rather the woods were filled with laughing nymphs and shepherds than that those young heads were stuffed barren facts. < as lemmas |
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