Prefer
Pronunciation
- GenAm IPA: /pɹɪˈfÉ/
- RP IPA: /pɹɪˈfÉœË/
- Rhymes: -ÉœË(ɹ)
Origin
From Anglo-Norman, Middle French preferer, (French préférer), from Latin praeferÅ.
Full definition of prefer
Verb
- (transitive, now dated) To advance, promote (someone). from 14th c.
- 1621, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, II.3.2:Tiberius preferred many to honours in his time, because they were famous whoremasters and sturdy drinkers ....
- (transitive) To be in the habit of choosing something rather than something else; to favor; to like better. from 14th c.
- I prefer tea to coffee.
- 1907, w, The Younger Set Chapter 8, “ 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 ; … â€
- (transitive) To present or submit (something) to an authority (now usually in "to prefer charges"). from 16th c.
- (obsolete, transitive) To put forward for acceptance; to introduce, recommend (to). 16th-19th c.
- 1630, John Smith, 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, Rob Roy, 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 + noun. Example: I prefer coffee to tea.
prefer + gerund + to + gerund. Example: I prefer skiing to swimming.
prefer + full infinitive + rather than + bare infinitive. Example: I prefer to eat fish rather than (eat) meat.