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Find vs Prefer - What's the difference?

find | prefer |

As verbs the difference between find and prefer

is that find is to encounter or discover by accident; to happen upon while prefer is .

As a noun find

is anything that is found (usually valuable), as objects on an archeological site or a person with talent.

find

English

Verb

  • To encounter or discover by accident; to happen upon.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Searching the window for a flint, I found / This paper, thus sealed up.
  • * Cowley
  • In woods and forests thou art found .
  • To encounter or discover something being searched for; to locate.
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=2 , passage=I had occasion […] to make a somewhat long business trip to Chicago, and on my return […] I found Farrar awaiting me in the railway station. He smiled his wonted fraction by way of greeting, […], and finally leading me to his buggy, turned and drove out of town.}}
  • * , chapter=10
  • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=It was a joy to snatch some brief respite, and find himself in the rectory drawing–room. Listening here was as pleasant as talking; just to watch was pleasant.}}
  • * {{quote-news, year=2011, date=January 25, author=Paul Fletcher, work=BBC
  • , title= Arsenal 3-0 Ipswich (agg. 3-1) , passage=Van Persie scored a hat-trick against Wigan on Saturday and should have found' the net again after Bendtner ' found him at the far post but the Dutchman's header rebounded to safety off the crossbar.}}
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-20, volume=408, issue=8845, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= Welcome to the plastisphere , passage=Plastics are energy-rich substances, which is why many of them burn so readily. Any organism that could unlock and use that energy would do well in the Anthropocene. Terrestrial bacteria and fungi which can manage this trick are already familiar to experts in the field. Dr Mincer and Dr Amaral-Zettler found evidence of them on their marine plastic, too.}}
  • To point out.
  • To decide that, to discover that, to form the opinion that.
  • * Shakespeare
  • I find you passing gentle.
  • * Cowley
  • The torrid zone is now found habitable.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1922, author=(Ben Travers), title=(A Cuckoo in the Nest)
  • , chapter=1 citation , passage=“[…] the awfully hearty sort of Christmas cards that people do send to other people that they don't know at all well. You know. The kind that have mottoes
  • To determine or judge.
  • To arrive at, as a conclusion; to determine as true; to establish.
  • to find''' a verdict; to '''find a true bill (of indictment) against an accused person
  • * Shakespeare
  • to find his title with some shows of truth
  • To discover by study or experiment direct to an object or end.
  • Water is found to be a compound substance.
  • To gain, as the object of desire or effort.
  • to find''' leisure; to '''find means
  • To attain to; to arrive at; to acquire.
  • Looks like he found himself a new vehicle!
    After a long flight, I now find myself in San Francisco.
  • (archaic) To provide for; to supply; to furnish.
  • to find food for workmen
    He finds his nephew in money.
  • * London Times
  • Wages £14 and all found .
  • * Charles Dickens
  • Nothing a day and find yourself.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Antonyms

    * lose

    Derived terms

    See also'' finding''' ''and'' ' found * find fault * find one's feet * find out

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Anything that is found (usually valuable), as objects on an archeological site or a person with talent.
  • The act of finding.
  • Synonyms

    * (anything found) discovery, catch

    Statistics

    *

    prefer

    English

    Alternative forms

    * * preferre

    Verb

    (preferr)
  • *, II.3.2:
  • *:Tiberius preferred many to honours in his time, because they were famous whoremasters and sturdy drinkers.
  • (lb) To be in the habit of choosing something rather than something else; to favor; to like better.
  • :
  • *
  • *:"My tastes," he said, still smiling, "incline me to the garishly sunlit side of this planet." And, to tease her and arouse her to combat: "I prefer a farandole to a nocturne; I'd rather have a painting than an etching; Mr. Whistler bores me with his monochromatic mud; I don't like dull colours, dull sounds, dull intellects;."
  • (lb) To present or submit (something) to an authority (now usually in "to prefer charges").
  • *1630 , , True Travels , in Kupperman 1988, p.36:
  • *:one Master David Hume, who making some use of his purse, gave him Letters to his friends in Scotland to preferre him to King James.
  • *1817 , (Walter Scott), , XVII:
  • *:Such were the arguments which my will boldly preferred to my conscience, as coin which ought to be current, and which conscience, like a grumbling shopkeeper, was contented to accept.
  • Usage notes

    * The verb can be used in three different forms: *
  • prefer'' + noun + ''to'' (or ''over'') + noun. Example: ''I prefer coffee to tea .
  • *
  • prefer'' + gerund + ''to'' (or ''over'') + gerund. Example: ''I prefer skiing to swimming .
  • *
  • prefer'' + full infinitive + ''rather than'' + bare infinitive. Example: ''I prefer to eat fish rather than (eat) meat .
  • Derived terms

    * preference * preferential