prefer
Word family
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++pre·fer /prɪˈfɜː $ -ˈfɜːr/ ●●● S2 W2 verb (preferred, preferring) [transitive] 1 PREFERto like someone or something more than someone or something else, so that you would choose it if you could 更喜欢 → preference This type of owl prefers a desert habitat. 这种猫头鹰更喜欢沙漠的生活环境。 She prefers her coffee black. 她更喜欢喝黑咖啡。 the government’s preferred option 政府倾向的选择prefer somebody/something to somebody/something a child that prefers his imaginary world to reality 喜欢自己的幻想世界甚于现实世界的孩子 Employees said they would prefer more flexible working hours. 员工们说他们希望有更具弹性的工作时间。prefer to do something I prefer to wear clothes made of natural fibers. 我更喜欢穿天然织物做的衣服。 Or, if you prefer, you can email us. 或者，你喜欢的话，可以给我们发电子邮件。prefer doing something Chantal prefers travelling by train. 尚塔尔更喜欢乘火车旅行。prefer that We prefer that our teachers have a degree in early childhood education. 我们希望我们的教师拥有儿童早期教育的学位。 RegisterIn everyday English, people often say they would rather do something instead of using prefer: 在日常英语中,表示更喜欢做某事,人们常说would rather,而不说prefer I prefer to travel by train. → I’d rather travel by train. 我更喜欢坐火车旅行。2 I would prefer it if spoken a) PREFERused to say that you wish a situation was different 我更愿意[希望] Sales have gone down, and obviously we’d prefer it if that didn’t happen. 销售下滑了，显然我们是不希望这样的。 b) NOT DO somethingused when telling someone politely not to do something 我希望〔用于礼貌地告诉别人不要做某事〕 I’d prefer it if you didn’t smoke in front of the children. 我希望你不要在孩子面前抽烟。3. prefer charges British English lawSCL to make an official statement that someone has done something illegal 起诉，提出控告n GrammarPatterns with prefer• You prefer to do something: I prefer to read a book. ✗Don’t say: I prefer read a book.• You prefer doing something: We prefer going abroad for our vacation. ✗Don’t say: We prefer go abroad.• You say that you would prefer it if someone did something: We would prefer it if you didn’t tell anyone. ✗Don’t say: We would prefer it if you don’t tell anyone.Using the progressivePrefer is not used in the progressive in meaning 1. You say: I prefer the blue one. ✗Don’t say: I am preferring the blue one.→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
prefer• "Which restaurant shall we go to?'' "I really don't mind. Whichever one you prefer.''• Gina could crawl in beside them or sleep on the sofa downstairs if she preferred.• You can ask to speak to a lesbian if you prefer.• A dedicated bread eater will usually prefer a dense, sour, small, moist, round pumpernickel to a light rye.• Which color do you prefer - blue or red?• Which bread do you prefer, brown or white?• She doesn't like romantic fiction -- she much prefers detective stories.• I'm beginning to like Japanese food. I certainly prefer rice to potatoes.• Brad Pitt? Oh no, I much prefer Russell Crowe!• Dave wants to go to New York again, but I'd prefer somewhere more exotic.• If invested instead in bonds or preferred stock, that same dollar would be worth less than $ 1,000.• She preferred the sizzling animosity between them to this ... this awkwardness.• French people usually prefer to buy goods that are made in France.• He would prefer to help boost poor working families' incomes through tax breaks.• Cops and gangsters alike prefer to see pachinko remain uneasily in limbo.• Most of my friends take the bus to school, but I prefer to walk.• When I wrote to congratulate him on the latter, he telephoned, which he apparently preferred to writing.• Mark likes lying on the beach, but I prefer visiting museums.• She seems to prefer watching soap operas to talking to me.prefer that• Clearly, most men would prefer that battles pass them by completely.• I personally would have preferred that decision to already have been taken.• We prefer that famed political motto of the Reagan administration: Mistakes were made.• She would have preferred that none of this take place..• I should prefer that the appointments are not given to the governors of the banks of individual member states.• Some companies prefer that their top executives have specialized backgrounds and hire individuals who are managers in other organizations.• Be decided from the outset - they prefer that, then they know what they can expect from you.• I would however prefer that you got as much advice as possible from the books first.Origin prefer (1300-1400) French préférer, from Latin praeferre “to put in front, prefer”pre·fer verb →n GRAMMAR1 →REGISTER1LDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable
something or someone to than Corpus more someone like
prefer
pre‧fer S2 W2 /prɪˈfɜː $ -ˈfɜːr/
verb (past tense and past participle preferred, present participle preferring) [transitive not in progressive]
This type of owl prefers a desert habitat.
She prefers her coffee black.
the government’s preferred option
prefer somebody/something to somebody/something
a child that prefers his imaginary world to reality
Employees said they would prefer more flexible working hours.
prefer to do something
I prefer to wear clothes made of natural fibers.
Or, if you prefer, you can email us.
prefer doing something
Chantal prefers travelling by train.
prefer that
We prefer that our teachers have a degree in early childhood education.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people often say they would rather do something instead of using prefer:
▪ I prefer to travel by train. ➔ I'd rather travel by train.
2. I would prefer it if spoken
a. used to say that you wish a situation was different:
Sales have gone down, and obviously we’d prefer it if that didn’t happen.
b. used when telling someone politely not to do something:
I’d prefer it if you didn’t smoke in front of the children.
3. prefer charges British English law to make an official statement that someone has done something illegal
pre‧fer S2 W2 /prɪˈfɜː $ -ˈfɜːr/
verb (past tense and past participle preferred, present participle preferring) [transitive not in progressive] Word Family: adverb: preferably, preferentially; adjective: preferable, preferential; verb: prefer; noun: preference
Date: 1300-1400
Language: French
Origin: préférer, from Latin praeferre 'to put in front, prefer'
1. to like someone or something more than someone or something else, so that you would choose it if you could ⇨ preference:Language: French
Origin: préférer, from Latin praeferre 'to put in front, prefer'
prefer somebody/something to somebody/something
prefer to do something
prefer doing something
prefer that
REGISTER
In everyday English, people often say they would rather do something instead of using prefer:
▪ I prefer to travel by train. ➔ I'd rather travel by train.
2. I would prefer it if spoken
a. used to say that you wish a situation was different:
b. used when telling someone politely not to do something:
3. prefer charges British English law to make an official statement that someone has done something illegal
Ways of saying 'in general' “通常” 的表达方式
◆ Women generally earn less than men.女人通常比男人挣钱少。 ◆ Generally speaking , jobs traditionally done by women are paid at a lower rate than those traditionally done by men.一般来说，传统上由妇女干的工作比传统上由男人干的工作报酬低。 ◆ In general /By and large , women do not earn as much as men.总的说来，女人不如男人挣钱多。 ◆ Certain jobs, like nursing and cleaning, are still mainly carried out by women.有些工作仍然主要由女性做，比如护理和保洁。 ◆ Senior management posts are predominantly held by men.高层管理职位大多由男性担任。 ◆ Most senior management posts tend to be held by men.大多数高层管理职位通常由男性担任。 ◆ Women are, for the most part , still paid less than men.女人的薪水多半仍比男人低。 ◆ Economic and social factors are, to a large extent , responsible for women being concentrated in low-paid jobs.经济和社会因素在很大程度上导致女性集中于低报酬工作。
◆ I like the red onebetter than/more than the green one.比起那个绿色的，我更喜欢红的。 ◆ I prefer beef to lamb.我喜欢牛肉胜于羊肉。 ◆ I'd prefer to wait here.我宁愿在这儿等。 ◆ I'd rather go to the concert than the play.与看戏相比，我更愿意去听音乐会。 ◆ I think I'd rather stay in than go out tonight.今晚我想待在家里，不想外出。 ◆ I like swimmingbetter than jogging.比起慢跑，我更喜欢游泳。 ◆ I think that colour's much more attractive.我觉得那种颜色好看多了。 ◆ It doesn't really matter to me whether we eat here or go out.( especially
NAmE 我们在这儿吃还是出去吃，我真无所谓。 ◆ I don't really mind whether we talk now or later.( BrE 我们是现在谈还是以后谈，我不大在意。 ◆ I'm happy either way. ( NAmE （两个之中）无论哪一个我都乐意。 ◆ I don't really care either way. （这两个）我都无所谓。 ◆ If it were up to me, I'd choose the green one.如果让我来选，我会选那个绿色的。 ◆ If you ask me, the old one looks better than the new one.要问我的话，旧的那个看起来比新的好。 ◆ I'm not an expert but Design B seems more eye-catching.我不是专家，但 B 设计似乎更抢眼。