The Collaborative International Dictionary
Prefer \Pre*fer"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Preferred; p. pr. & vb. n. Preferring.] [F. pr['e]f['e]rer, L. praeferre; prae before + ferre to bear or carry. See 1st Bear.]
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To carry or bring (something) forward, or before one; hence, to bring for consideration, acceptance, judgment, etc.; to offer; to present; to proffer; to address; -- said especially of a request, prayer, petition, claim, charge, etc.
He spake, and to her hand preferred the bowl.
--Pope.Presently prefer his suit to C[ae]sar.
--Shak.Three tongues prefer strange orisons on high.
--Byron. To go before, or be before, in estimation; to outrank; to surpass. [Obs.] ``Though maidenhood prefer bigamy.''
--Chaucer.-
To cause to go before; hence, to advance before others, as to an office or dignity; to raise; to exalt; to promote; as, to prefer an officer to the rank of general.
I would prefer him to a better place.
--Shak. -
To set above or before something else in estimation, favor, or liking; to regard or honor before another; to hold in greater favor; to choose rather; -- often followed by to, before, or above.
If I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.
--Ps. cxxxvii. 6.Preferred an infamous peace before a most just war.
--Knolles.Preferred stock, stock which takes a dividend before other capital stock; -- called also preference stock and preferential stock.
Syn: To choose; elect. See Choose.
Wiktionary
alt. (present participle of prefer English) vb. (present participle of prefer English)
WordNet
v. like better; value more highly; "Some people prefer camping to staying in hotels"; "We prefer sleeping outside"
select as an alternative; choose instead; prefer as an alternative; "I always choose the fish over the meat courses in this restaurant"; "She opted for the job on the East coast" [syn: choose, opt]
promote over another; "he favors his second daughter" [syn: favor, favour]
give preference to one creditor over another
[also: preferring, preferred]
See prefer
Usage examples of "preferring".
The personal guilt which every Christian had contracted, in thus preferring his private sentiment to the national religion, was aggravated in a very high degree by the number and union of the criminals.
In four or five days I knew my way about the town, but I did not frequent polite assemblies, preferring to go to the theatre, where a comic opera singer had captivated me.
When he had gone I told my entertainers what had happened the evening before and in the morning, and the fair Esther reproached me for preferring such bad company to her.
He begs them, if he be taken, to return him whatever may be in his cell, but if he succeed he gives the whole to Francis Soradaci, who is still a captive for want of courage to escape, not like me preferring liberty to life.
Edgar arrived, Sir Hugh told him of the affair, assuring him he should never have taken amiss his preferring Camilla, which he thought but natural, if he had only done it from the first.
Eugenia, with that firmness which, even in the first youth, accompanies a consciousness of preferring duty to inclination, silenced, and sent her off.
Sir Sedley, hoped he might be pardoned for the liberty he took, upon hearing who was at the hotel, of preferring such society to the Rooms.
African war, preferring the natural feelings of gratitude to the artificial ties of allegiance.
Peter is accused, perhaps without foundation, of preferring the safety of the republic to the rigid severity of the Christian worship.
The people of Aquitain were alarmed by the indiscreet reproaches of their Gothic tyrants, who justly accused them of preferring the dominion of the Franks: and their zealous adherent Quintianus, bishop of Rodez, preached more forcibly in his exile than in his diocese.
They paused, they trembled, their ranks were confounded, and in the decisive moment the Heruli, preferring glory to revenge, charged with rapid violence the head of the column.
As I was too jealous to leave Armelline to her own devices, I refused to dance, preferring to watch her.
Being in need of money, and preferring to get rid of my carriage than of anything else, I announced it for sale at the price of three hundred and fifty Roman crowns.
Runcible was known as a man of few words, preferring to let his actions talk for him.
Then again, he had an annoying habit of keeping only the smallest measure of his spoils for himself, preferring to give whatever money he obtained to me, or to the needy.