rather
adv. degreeadv. to a certain degree or more than you expected. You use it to make a description sound slightly stronger or to show a preference.
adv. to a certain extent or degree; moderately. Often used as a degree modifier to soften or intensify an adjective, or to indicate a preference between two options.
The weather is rather cold today.
I was rather surprised to see him at the party since he said he was busy.
The results of the preliminary study were rather encouraging, though the researchers cautioned that a larger sample size would be necessary to confirm their initial findings.
When modifying an adjective with a noun, it can sit before or after the article ('a rather cold day' or 'rather a cold day').
I rather would go homeI would rather go homeWhen expressing preference with 'would', 'rather' must follow the modal verb 'would' directly.