Prefer

Definition: Prefer

Prefer

Verb

1. Like better; value more highly; "Some people prefer camping to staying in hotels"; "We prefer sleeping outside".

2. 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".

3. Promote over another.

4. Give preference to one creditor over another; in law.

Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
 

Date "prefer" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1258. (references)

Note: Prefer \Pre*fer"\, transitive verb. [imperative past participle Preferred; present participle verb or noun Preferring.]. (references)

Tips from 1870

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Synonyms: Prefer

Choice

Prefer; have rather, have as lief; fancy; (desire); be persuaded.

Churchdom

Verb: call, ordain, induct, prefer, translate, consecrate, present.

Desire

Care for, affect, like, list; take to, cling to, take a fancy to; fancy; prefer; (choose).

Dislike

Verb: mislike misrelish, dislike, disrelish; mind, object to; have rather not, would rather not, prefer not to, not care for; have a dislike for, conceive a dislike to, entertain a dislike for, take a dislike to, have an aversion to, have an aversion for; have no taste for, have no stomach for.

Lawsuit

Verb: go to law, appeal to the law; bring to justice, bring to trial, bring to the bar; put on trial, pull up; accuse; prefer a claim, file a claim;Noun: take the law of, inform against.

Request

Verb: request, ask; beg, crave, sue, pray, solicit, invite, pop the question, make bold to ask; beg leave, beg a boon; apply to, call to, put to; call upon, call for; make a request, address a request, prefer a request, put up a request, make a prayer, address a prayer, prefer a prayer, put up a prayer, make a petition, address a petition, prefer a petition, put up a petition; make application, make a requisition; ask trouble, ask one for; claim; (demand); offer up prayers; (worship); whistle for.

Crosswords: Prefer

Romanian (I prefer).

But I prefer a man who lives and gives expensive jewels (Moulin Rouge!; writing credit: Baz Luhrmann; Craig Pearce)

Bring 'em on, I'd prefer a straight fight to all this sneaking around (Star Wars; writing credit: George Lucas)

I prefer to be called a hacker (Jurassic Park; writing credit: Michael Crichton)

by the way, do you prefer diamonds or saphires (Sliding Doors; writing credit: Peter Howitt.)

I prefer to atrophy (Manhattan Murder Mystery; writing credit: Woody Allen and Marshall Brickman. Starring Woody Allen as Larry Lipton, Diane Keaton as Carol Lipton, Alan Alda as Ted, and Anjelica Huston as Marcia Fox.)

Is not what I prefer (Pop A Top; performing artist: Alan Jackson)

Don't need your silicon I prefer my own (Video; performing artist: India.Arie)

And I prefer this mystery (Rescue Me; performing artist: Madonna)

I prefer a sunless sky, to the glittering and stinging in my eyes (Tonight and the Rest of My Life; performing artist: Nina Gordon)

Some people may prefer action, (The Folk Song Army; performing artist: Tom Lehrer)

Do cemetery workers prefer the graveyard shift? (references; author: unknown)

Blondes Prefer Gentlemen (1968)

Gentlemen Prefer Nature Girls (1962)

Doctors Prefer Brunettes (1927)

Brunettes Prefer Gentlemen (1927)

Wise Guys Prefer Brunettes (1926)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Books

• Gentlemen Prefer My Sister (reference)

• I Do Not Prefer to Have Sex (reference)

• Your Car Can Be Hazardous to Your Health: The Book Automakers and Politicians Prefer You Not Read (reference)

  (more book examples)

Theater & Movies

• Marilyn Monroe - The Diamond Collection (Bus Stop / How to Marry a Millionaire / There's No Business Like Show Business / Gentlemen Prefer Blondes / The Seven Year Itch / The Final Days) (reference)

• French & Saunders: Gentlemen Prefer (reference)

• Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (reference)

• Gentlemen Prefer French & Saunders (reference)

• The Marilyn Collection (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Let's Make Love, The Seven Year Itch) (reference)

  (more DVD examples; more video examples)

Music

• Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1949 Original Broadway Cast) [CAST RECORDING] (reference)

  (more classical music examples; more popular music examples)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

NURP dive bell used in the 1980s-- scientists prefer the freedom.of scuba. Credit: National Undersea Research Program (NURP).

[Greek poster- The Choice Is Yours. Select The Lung You Prefer To Live With]. Credit: National Library of Medicine.

Some women prefer dogs. Credit: Library of Congress.

"If, after twenty-five years of daily use, all excating people still prefer Ivory soap, why should not I?". Credit: Library of Congress.

Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Conformable hereunto we find the people of America, who (living out of the reach of the conquering swords, and spreading domination of the two great empires of Peru and Mexico) enjoyed their own natural freedom, though, caeteris paribus, they commonly prefer the heir of their deceased king; yet if they find him any way weak, or uncapable, they pass him by, and set up the stoutest and bravest man for their ruler. (Second Treatise of Government)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Come on a donkey, however, if you prefer it.

It is the mood of France to prefer to have before her a Rostopchine rather than a Ballesteros

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Health

Others prefer only general information. (references)

The child seems to prefer to play alone. (references)

Select the dates and language that you prefer. (references)

Business

Families with children prefer Florida. (references)

The majority of companies prefer other services. (references)

Some Western companies prefer to build their own retail network. (references)

Children

Russia

Many officials consider domestic problems private affairs and prefer not to interfere. (references)

Brazil

The city of Rio de Janeiro, in cooperation with NGO's, has provided 41 shelters and group homes (run by the NGO's) for up to 2,501 homeless children and adolescents, but some children appear to prefer the freedom and drugs that street life offers. (references)

Taiwan

Many organizations complain that it is difficult to find qualified workers with disabilities, and they appear to prefer to pay the fines involved. (references)

Civil Liberties

Uzbekistan

Since the law prohibits participation in unregistered groups, some minority churches have not submitted registration applications because they know that they are unable to comply with the law's requirements and prefer not to identify themselves to the authorities. (references)

Economic History

Djibouti

While there are laws against corruption, they are rarely enforced, in part because most people prefer to deal with corruption issues on their own rather than involve complicated legal mechanisms. (references)

Guyana

In most cases foreign investors prefer to seek credit abroad in any case, since interest rates in Guyana are typically higher. (references)

Human Rights

Bahamas

Judges sometimes authorize cash bail for foreigners arrested on minor charges, but in practice, foreign suspects generally prefer to plead guilty and pay a fine rather than pursue their right to defend themselves, given possible delays in court cases and harsh conditions in the prison. (references)

Brunei

Many convicted persons reportedly prefer caning to lengthy incarceration. (references)

Yemen

The committee's chairman claims that he would prefer to increase the activities of the committee, especially in the area of press freedoms, but cites lack of official and financial support as constraints. (references)

Indigenous People

Sri Lanka

The country's indigenous people, known as Veddas, number fewer than l,000. Some prefer to maintain their isolated traditional way of life, and they are protected by the Constitution. (references)

Minorities

Japan

They are estimated to number approximately 3 million, but most prefer to hide their identities. (references)

Czech Republic

For example, in an opinion poll released in May, respondents indicated that, of all minorities, they would least prefer to have a Roma for a neighbor. (references)

Political Economy

ALGERIA

Because purchasing U.S. grain requires large shipments, long shipping times, and therefore a higher financial risk, Algerian traders often prefer to purchase smaller shipments from Europe, which can arrive in a short time and involve less risk. (references)

PERU

Labor experts assert that companies prefer this type of hiring because it affords them the chance to adapt their total payroll to the business cycle without the hassle of having to seek government approval to release workers. (references)

China

So far, none has prompted the kind of mass protest movement that erupted in Beijing in the spring of 1989. The central authorities prefer to minimize tensions through the implementation of pragmatic policies, and they recognize that moves to reduce personal and economic freedoms would harm China's long-term interests. (references)

Trade

Israel

The Israeli Customs Services prefer that exporters use their own commercial invoice forms containing all required information including name and address of supplier, general nature of the goods, country of origin of the goods, name and address of the customer in Israel, name of the agent in Israel, terms, rate of exchange (if applicable), Israel import license number (if applicable), shipping information, and a full description of all goods in the shipment including shipping marks, quantity or measure, composition of goods (by percentage if mixed), tariff heading number, gross weight of each package, net weight of each package, total weight of shipment, price per unit as sold, and total value of shipment. (references)

Russia

Foreign Owned Banks: Most foreign businesses prefer to deal with foreign-owned banks because they are more stable and generally offer better quality service. (references)

Eq. Guinea

However, as a result of Equatorial Guinea's comparatively high interest rates, most investors prefer to borrow from foreign sources. (references)

Travel

Egypt

Landlords prefer to rent their premises "furnished" even if only minimally so, and may insist on keeping some items in the apartment or villa for legal reasons. (references)

Mexico

For travel in Mexico City, most visitors prefer taxis to car rentals. (references)

Brazil

They prefer a more continuous working relationship. (references)

Women

China

Many employers prefer to hire men to avoid the expense of maternity leave and childcare and some even lower the effective retirement age for female workers to 40 years of age (the official retirement age for men is 60 years and for women 55 years). (references)

Oman

Government officials frequently deny women land grants or housing loans and prefer to conduct business with a woman's husband or other male relative. (references)

Lithuania

Few such complaints are filed, because women prefer to avoid publicity and are not confident that the courts will punish their assailants. (references)

Worker Rights

Turkey

Small enterprises prefer child labor because it is cheaper and provides practical training for the children, who subsequently are preferred for future employment in the same workplace. (references)

El Salvador

The Government contends that the workers often prefer not to use safety equipment, and they have time for toilet and rest breaks. (references)

Bahrain

In practice most employers prefer to settle such disputes through arbitration, particularly since the court and labor law generally are considered to favor the employee. (references)

Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Expressions using "prefer": prefer a charge against smb. ♦ prefer a complaint against ♦ prefer charges ♦ prefer charges against. Additional references.

Afrikaans

verkies (choose, elect, pick, pick out). (various references)

Albanian

preferoj (affect, choose, elect), parashtroj (bring, commit, enunciate, expound, pose, posit, propound, put forward, submit), paraqes (acquaint, bring in, bring up, delineate, demonstrate, denote, develop, display, feature, front, induct, introduce, introduce oneself, obtrude, offer, portray, present, press, produce, propound, put, put in, recommend, render, represent, serve, show, stand for, submit), parapëlqej, ngre në pozitë (promote). (various references)

Arabic 

‏فضل (advantage, choose, excel, favor, favour, grace, graciousness, merit, outshine, priority, surpass), ‏ميز (characterize, confer distinction upon, differentiate, discern, discriminate, distinguish, favor, favour, grant a special privilege, honor, identify, know, label, make a distinction, mark, notice, observe, perceive, privilege, realize, recognize, segregate, separate, set above others, set apart, set aside, single, single out, stamp), ‏قرب (approach, beside, bring closer, close to, closeness, near, nearness, next to, proximity, towards, vicinity), ‏أعطى الأولوية ل (preference, prioritize), ‏أثر (bias, count, echo, effect, give rise to, hint, impress, influence, lead, mark, odor, odour, operate, repercussion, scent, sink, soupcon, streak, tag, tinge, tint, touch, trace, trail, trait, vestige, work), ‏آثر, ‏رقى (ascend, commission, promote, raise, uplift). (various references)

Basque

nahiago. (various references)

Bulgarian 

назначавам (constitute, designate, institute, make, name, nominate, place, put in, set), предявявам (advance, assert, lay, pose, present, put in, raise), предлагам за разискване, предпочитам (affect, choose, elect, lean, like better, see), повишавам (advance, aggrandize, elevate, enhance, erect, heighten, increase, jump, key up, promote, put up, rack, raise, up), повдигам (boost, bring up, elevate, give a lift, heave, heft, increase, key up, levitate, lift, moot, pick up, present, pull up, raise, rear, start, take up, throw up, tip over, underlay, up, uplift, upraise), подавам (feed, hand, hold out, lay, pass, pitch, present, reach, supply, tender, thrust out). (various references)

Chinese 

更喜欢 (Preferred, Preferring), �"較喜歡 . (various references)

Czech

povýšit (elevate, exalt, promote, raise, upgrade), předložit (bring forward, bring in, commit, dish up, introduce, pose, produce, propound, put, put forward, put in, render, send in, set, submit, tender), navrhnout (bring in, come up with, design, devise, draw, draw up, make a proposal, move, propone, propose, suggest, table), mít radìji (favour smb.), dát přednost (elect, give the right of way, give way). (various references)

Danish

foretrække. (various references)

Dutch

prefereren, de voorkeur geven aan. (various references)

Esperanto

preferi. (various references)

Faeroese

vilja heldur, velja (choose, elect, pick out). (various references)

Farsi 

ترجیح یافتن یادادن , رجحان دادن , برگزیدن (Designate, Elect, Elite, Pick, Single), برتری دادن . (various references)

Finnish

pitää parempana, pitää jotakin parempana, haluta mieluummin. (various references)

French

préférer, aimer mieux. (various references)

French Canadian

préférerais (would prefer). (various references)

Galician

preferiría. (various references)

German

vorziehen (bring forward, choose, chosen, close, draw, Favor, favour, give priority, move forward, move up, pull up, to prefer), bevorzugen (Favor, favour, give preference to, to favour). (various references)

Greek 

προτιμώ (choose). (various references)

Guarani

ahasemivéta (I would prefer to go). (various references)

Haitian Creole

pito. (various references)

Hebrew 

ל�"ע�"יף (give precedence, hold superior), לבכר (give priority, ripen early), �"ע�"יף. (various references)

Hungarian

preferál, jobban szeret (to prefer), elõnyben részesít (privilege). (various references)

Indonesian

lebih suka. (various references)

Italian

preferire (affect, choose, have rather, like, rather). (various references)

Japanese Kanji 

選ぶ (choose, optone's, select). (various references)

Japanese Katakana 

�"のむ (to like, to prefer). (various references)

Korean 

좋아하십시�". (various references)

Manx

ardjaghey (change up, climb, increase, inflation, level up, lift, mount up, outbid, overbid, pitch, preferment, promote, promotion, put up, ramp, steepen, worsen, worsen as fever). (various references)

Norwegian

foretrekker. (various references)

Papiamen

preferá. (various references)

Pig Latin

eferpray.(various references)

Polish

woleć. (various references)

Portuguese

preferir (choose, fancy, like). (various references)

Romanian

prefera (elect). (various references)

Russian 

предпочитать (choose). (various references)

Serbo-Croatian

više voleti. (various references)

Sotho

nkampa (I prefer). (various references)

Spanish

preferir (Favor, favour, had rather, like better). (various references)

Swedish

framföra (convey, deliver, execute, extend, Lodge, offer, perform, play, present, state), föredraga (deliver, elect, like, recite, render, report), föredra (deliver, elect, like, recite, render, report). (various references)

Turkish

yeğlemek (choose, opt), tercih etmek (choose, like better, opt), tayin etmek (appoint, commission, deputize, designate, institute, name, nominate, post, station), sunmak (bring in, confer, dish, dish up, emcee, exhibit, furnish, go over, go through, help smb. to smth., hold forth, initiate, introduce, lay, Lodge, offer, pass in, pitch, present, proffer, put forward, put in, put to, put up, render, report, represent, serve up, shew, submit, table, tender), ileri sürmek (adduce, advance, affirm, allege, assert, bring about, broach, come up with, contend, drive on, enunciate, hold forth, interpose, lay, present, press home, pronounce, propose, propound, publish, put forth, put forward, set forward, set up, throw out, urge, weigh in with), atamak (accredit, advance, appoint, assign, co opt, commission, constitute, coopt, create, depute, deputize, designate, elect, install, institute, nominate, ordain, post, station), arzetmek (Lodge, offer, present, propound, put up, submit, tender), öncelik tanımak (give priority to, give way, yield precedence to). (various references)

Ukrainian

віддавати перевагу (advantage, choose, like), визнавати за краще, підвищувати (boost, elate, elevate, enhance, heighten, inflate, lift, send up, up), подавати (adduce, pass in, present, provide, send, send in). (various references)

antepono, anteposita, antepositum, malam, mali, malis, malle, mallui, malo, malo mallui malus, malo, mallui, malus, maluimus, praeferebant, praefero, praefero, prefero, praeferre, praefert, praelatus, praepono, praepono, prepono, praetulit, sis, velim, velint, velis, velit, velitis, velle, vellem, vellent, vellet, volebam, volebamus, volebant, volebas, volebat, volens, volensque, volente, volentes, volenti, volentibus, volentis, voles, volet, volo, voluerant, voluerat, voluerim, voluerimus, voluerint, volueris, voluerisque, voluerit, volueritis, volueritque, voluero, voluerunt, volui, voluimus, voluisse, voluissem, voluissent, voluisses, voluisset, voluisti, voluistis, voluit, voluitque, volumus, volunt, volvere, volvi, volvit. (various references)

kan. (various references)

Derivations

Words beginning with "prefer": preferabilities, preferability, preferable, preferably, preference, preferences, preferential, preferentially, preferment, preferments, preferred, preferrer, preferrers, preferring, prefers. (additional references)

Words containing "prefer": nonpreferential. (additional references)

Misspellings

"Prefer" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: peefe, pefec, pefer, Peffer, perer, perfa, perfer, perfo, perfor, Perfrx, Perger, prafter, prager, preener, preer, pref, prefat, preferd, prefere, prefern, preferr, prefi, prefor, preier, premer, preperm, Prevezer, profer, profere, proferr, profir, Treffer. (additional references)

Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits.

Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams

-1 letter: freer, frere, refer.

-2 letters: fere, free, peer, pree, reef.

-3 letters: ere, err, fee, fer, pee, per, ree, ref, rep.

-4 letters: ef, er, pe, re.

+1 letter: prefers, prefire.

+2 letters: perforce, perfumer, pilferer, prefacer, prefired, prefires, prefroze.

+3 letters: ferrotype, firepower, perfecter, perfervid, perforate, performed, performer, perfumers, perfumery, pilferers, prefacers, preferred, preferrer, prefigure, preformed, prefreeze, prefrozen, proffered, profiteer.

+4 letters: ferrotypes, firepowers, fripperies, perfecters, perforated, perforates, performers, precertify, prefecture, preferable, preferably, preference, preferment, preferrers, preferring, prefigured, prefigures, prefranked, prefreezes, prettifier, profiteers, repurified, repurifies.