would rather

would rather

Would prefer (to do something); would be more inclined or willing (to do something). I would rather go see a movie, to be honest, but we can go dancing if you like. She said she would rather not talk to you right now.
See also: rather
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

would rather

would more willingly; would more readily. I would rather have an apple than a pear. I don't like pears. I'd rather live in the north than the south, because I like snow.
See also: rather
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

would rather

Prefer to, as in We would rather eat dinner before the movie. [Mid-1500s]
See also: rather
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

would rather... (than)

would prefer to: She’d rather die than give a speech. ‘Do you want to come with us?’ ‘No, I’d rather not.’ Would you rather walk or go by car? ‘Do you mind if I smoke?’ ‘I’d rather you didn’t.’
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • would rather...
  • had rather
  • had rather (do something)
  • had rather do
  • rather than
  • walk the line
  • well padded
  • sooner rather than later
  • make a day/night/week of it
  • make a night of it
References in classic literature
He likes Nettie Blewett pretty well, too, and mother would rather he married her than any one.
Anne of The Island
But while I am alive and have desires I would rather my hand were withered off than bring one brick to such a building!
Notes from the Underground
But I presume you would rather be heard in private."
The Wisdom Of Father Brown
Pro: I would rather live my life openly and truthfully.
A jockey comes out: thoroughbred racehorse jockey and actor Kevin Mangolo takes a stand among the straight "cowboys" of the racing world
(For those physician executives who fear giving up control--who would rather tell people the answer than ask them for their suggestions--a word of caution: Whoever asks the questions, controls the interaction.)
Lack of control: the physician executive's fear
Mumbo Jumbo itself can, in fact, be regarded as Reed's contribution to this "future Text" and a product of Jes Grew: "the manic in the artist who would rather do glossolalia than be 'neat clean and lucid'" (211).
Crossing Western space, or the HooDoo detective on the boundary in Ishmael Reed's Mumbo Jumbo
He does not actually demand that marriage be abolished, because, being a pragmatist, he would rather undermine it by extending all its benefits to unmarried partners--in fact, to everybody.
CONVENTIONAL WISDOM
Spinning the current situation out to its most terrifying extreme, however, yields a worst-case scenario Bailey would rather not contemplate, let alone actually live: "A severe and prolonged staffing shortage could potentially redefine a CEO's ability to grow a company as he might have hoped."
We can't find the work force
We know Billy's parents don't love him because his father (Ben Gazzara) killed his puppy and his mother would rather watch a football game than talk to him, but, again, it doesn't really matter.
Covering the spread
There seemed to be a dearth of bona fide stars in attendance, and surfeit of freeze-dried celebs of whom one would rather see less.
Nuts about Pittsburgh
It makes me think of the point in the Odyssey when Achilles met Odysseus in the underworld and said, "I would rather be a slave among the living than the king of spirits in the underworld." I don't think Philadelphia would rank as low in Fields' scheme of things as slavery; that's as low as you can get in the land of the living.
ART CLUB 2000 (Shannon Pultz, member): I guess he would rather be dead.
From B to B on A again