rathe en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /ɹeɪð/
- (Southern-England) audio
Etymology
From Middle English rathe, from Old English hraþe, from Proto-West Germanic *hraþō, *hradō (“quickly”), from *hraþ, *hrad (“quick”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kret- (“quick; to move quickly”). Cognate with German Low German radd, ratt (“rashly; quickly; hastily”), and German gerade (“now, just, exactly”); compare Dutch rad (“quick, swift”), Norwegian rad (“quick, direct”), Gothic 𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌹𐌶𐌰 (raþiza, “easier”).
Meanings
-
(poetic) Ripening or blooming early.
Thy converse drew us with delight, The men of rathe and riper years: The feeble soul, a haunt of fears, Forgot his weakness in thy sight.
1849, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, In Memoriam A.H.H., canto 111:Bring the rathe primrose that forsaken dies.
1637 (date written; published 1638), John Milton, “Lycidas”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], published 1646, →OCLC:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| rath | alternative | lexicographic | |
| rathest | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| rather | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |