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Yet vs Rather - What's the difference?

yet | rather |

In degree|lang=en terms the difference between yet and rather

is that yet is (degree) even while rather is (degree) somewhat, fairly.

As verbs the difference between yet and rather

is that yet is (dialectal) to melt; found; cast, as metal while rather is (nonstandard|or|dialectal) to prefer; to prefer to.

As adverbs the difference between yet and rather

is that yet is (usually with negative) thus far; up to the present; up to some specified time while rather is (obsolete) more quickly; sooner, earlier.

As a noun yet

is (dialectal) a metal pan or boiler; yetling.

As a conjunction yet

is nevertheless; however; but; despite that.

As an adjective rather is

(obsolete) prior; earlier; former.

yet

English

(wikipedia yet)

Etymology 1

From (etyl) yeten, from (etyl) . More at (l).

Alternative forms

* (l) * (l) (obsolete)

Verb

(yett)
  • (dialectal) To melt; found; cast, as metal.
  • Noun

    (en noun)
  • (dialectal) A metal pan or boiler; yetling.
  • Etymology 2

    From (etyl) yet, yit, from (etyl) .Anatoly Liberman, An Analytic Dictionary of English Etymology: An Introduction'', s.v. “yet” (Minneapolis: U of Minnesota P, 2008), xlvi.Marlies Philippa et al., eds., ''Etymologisch Woordenboek van het Nederlands , A-Z, s.v. “ooit” (Amsterdam UP, 3 Dec. 2009): More at aye and .

    Adverb

    (-)
  • (usually with negative) Thus far; up to the present; up to some specified time.
  • Continuously up to the current time; still.
  • * Addison
  • facts they had heard while they were yet heathens
  • At some future time; eventually.
  • * Shakespeare
  • He'll be hanged yet .
  • (after certain copulative verbs, followed by an infinitive) Not as of the time referenced.
  • In addition.
  • * , 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. The young priests who lived here wore cassocks and birettas; their faces were fine and mild, yet really strong, like the rector's face; and in their intercourse with him and his wife they seemed to be brothers.}}
  • * {{quote-news, year=2011, date=September 18, author=Ben Dirs, work=BBC Sport
  • , title= Rugby World Cup 2011: England 41-10 Georgia , passage=After yet another missed penalty by Kvirikashvili from bang in front of the posts, England scored again, centre Tuilagi flying into the line and touching down under the bar.}}
  • (degree) Even.
  • * Francis Bacon
  • Men may not too rashly believe the confessions of witches, nor yet the evidence against them.
    Derived terms
    * not yet
    References

    Conjunction

    (English Conjunctions)
  • Nevertheless; however; but; despite that.
  • *
  • Carried somehow, somewhither, for some reason, on these surging floods, were these travelers, of errand not wholly obvious to their fellows, yet of such sort as to call into query alike the nature of their errand and their own relations. It is easily earned repetition to state that Josephine St. Auban's was a presence not to be concealed.
  • *
  • Thus the red damask curtains which now shut out the fog-laden, drizzling atmosphere of the Marylebone Road, had cost a mere song, and yet they might have been warranted to last another thirty years. A great bargain also had been the excellent Axminster carpet which covered the floor;.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-05-25, volume=407, issue=8837, page=74, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= No hiding place , passage=In America alone, people spent $170 billion on “direct marketing”—junk mail of both the physical and electronic varieties—last year. Yet of those who received unsolicited adverts through the post, only 3% bought anything as a result.}}
    Derived terms
    * as yet

    rather

    English

    Adverb

    (-)
  • (obsolete) More quickly; sooner, earlier.
  • Used to specify a choice or preference; preferably. (Now usually followed by than )
  • *
  • Firstly, I continue to base most species treatments on personally collected material, rather than on herbarium plants.
  • (conjunctive) Used to introduce a contradiction; on the contrary.
  • (conjunctive) Introducing a qualification or clarification; more precisely. (Now usually preceded by or .)
  • * 1897 , (Henry James), (What Maisie Knew) :
  • What the pupil already knew was indeed rather taken for granted than expressed, but it performed the useful function of transcending all textbooks and supplanting all studies.
  • * 1898, J. A. Hamilton, ", Volume LIV: Stanhope–Stovin , The MacMillan Company, page 60,
  • His ‘Iliad’ is spirited and polished, and, though often rather a paraphrase than a translation, is always more truly poetic than most of the best translations.
  • * , chapter=12
  • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=All this was extraordinarily distasteful to Churchill.
  • (degree) Somewhat, fairly.
  • Usage notes

    * (somewhat) This is a non-descriptive qualifier'', similar to quite and fairly and somewhat. It is used where a plain adjective needs to be modified, but cannot be qualified. When spoken, the meaning can vary with the tone of voice and stress. "''He was rather big''" can mean anything from "not small" to "huge" (meiosis with the stress on ''rather ).

    Synonyms

    * liever, liefer, as lief * (to a certain extent) somewhat, fairly, quite

    Antonyms

    * (somewhat) utterly

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (nonstandard, or, dialectal) To prefer; to prefer to.
  • * 1984 , Bruce Brooks, The Moves Make the Man :
  • Until just before the pie was popped into the heat. A few of them suddenly realized who put that gorgeous hunk of crackers together, and gaped. We grinned back, but very cool. The ones who knew said nothing, rathering to die than let on they had been hustled by two negative dudes.
  • * 2002 , Sarah Waters, Fingersmith :
  • It was a plain brown dress, more or less the colour of my hair; and the walls of our kitchen being also brown, when I came downstairs again I could hardly be seen. I should have rathered a blue gown, or a violet one
  • * 2002 , Elizabeth Bowen, The Heat of the Day :
  • So you must excuse my saying anything I did: all it was, that up to the very last I had understood us all to be friendly — apart, that is, from his rathering me not there. How was I to know he would flash out so wicked?
  • * 2007 , Mikel Schaefer, Lost in Katrina , page 323:
  • "That was a killer," said Chris. "I'd rathered' die in St. Bernard than spent one minute over there. I would have ' rathered the storm, shaking with the wind and rain hitting in the boat for an eternity than spending any time there.

    Adjective

    (-)
  • (obsolete) Prior; earlier; former.
  • * Sir J. Mandeville
  • Now no man dwelleth at the rather town.