English verb: prefer | |||
1. | prefer (emotion) like better; value more highly | ||
Samples | Some people prefer camping to staying in hotels. We prefer sleeping outside. | ||
Examples | They prefer him to write the letter | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something. Somebody ----s somebody. Somebody ----s something to somebody. Somebody ----s to somebody. Somebody ----s VERB-ing | ||
Broader (hypernym) | like | ||
2. | prefer (cognition) select as an alternative over another | ||
Samples | I always choose the fish over the meat courses in this restaurant. She opted for the job on the East coast. | ||
Examples | They prefer him to write the letter | ||
Synonyms | choose, opt | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something. Somebody ----s that CLAUSE | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | cop out, opt out | ||
Entail | compare | ||
3. | prefer (social) promote over another | ||
Samples | He favors his second daughter. | ||
Synonyms | favor, favour | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something. Somebody ----s somebody | ||
Broader (hypernym) | advance, elevate, kick upstairs, promote, raise, upgrade | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | advantage | ||
4. | prefer (social) give preference to one creditor over another | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s somebody | ||
Broader (hypernym) | pay | ||
Domain category | jurisprudence, law | ||