had rather

Idioms  

1. Also, had sooner. Would prefer. For example, I had rather you let me do the driving, or He'd sooner switch than fight. This idiom today is often replaced by would rather. [Late 1500s] Also see just as soon.

---

Example Sentences

In the order, the court however said that despite Mr Goldstein's claims, the mum and the children had "rather inexplicably" been "found in an isolated cave".

From BBC

In her Bay Area innocence, Bohnett had rather casually taken one Southern California beach town to be indistinguishable from another.

From Los Angeles Times

It tells you something that Bake Off was seen as a huge risk before it first broadcast in 2010, at a time when TV had rather more spending power - and the last 15 years has seen no successful rival take off.

From BBC

Under constant surveillance by her master, Jacobs similarly wrote, “I had rather live and die in jail than drag on, from day to day, through such a living death.”

From Salon

Early SigAlerts had rather a small-town feel, like a town crier.

From Los Angeles Times