prefer

pre·fer  (pr-fûr)

tr.v. pre·ferred, pre·fer·ring, pre·fers

1. To choose or be in the habit of choosing as more desirable or as having more value: prefers coffee to tea.

2. Law

a. To give priority or precedence to (a creditor).

b. To file, prosecute, or offer for consideration or resolution before a magistrate, court, or other legal authority: preferred the suit in a higher court.

3. Archaic To recommend for advancement or appointment; promote.

---

[Middle English preferren, from Old French preferer, from Latin praeferre : prae-, pre- + ferre, to carry; see bher-¹ in Indo-European roots.]

---

pre·ferrer n.

---

prefer

Verb

[-ferring, -ferred]

1. to like better: most people prefer television to reading books

2. Law to put (charges) before a court for judgment

3. (often passive) to promote over another or others [Latin praeferre to carry in front, prefer]

USAGE: Normally, to is used after prefer and preferable, not than: I prefer Brahms to Tchaikovsky; a small income is preferable to no income at all, but than or rather than should be used to link infinitives: I prefer to walk than/rather than to catch the train.

Thesaurus

Verb	1.	prefer - like better; value more highly; "Some people prefer camping to staying in hotels"; "We prefer sleeping outside" like - find enjoyable or agreeable; "I like jogging"; "She likes to read Russian novels"
	2.	prefer - select as an alternative over another; "I always choose the fish over the meat courses in this restaurant"; "She opted for the job on the East coast" opt, choose cop out, opt out - choose not to do something, as out of fear of failing; "She copped out when she was supposed to get into the hang glider"
	3.	prefer - promote over another; "he favors his second daughter" favor, favour elevate, kick upstairs, promote, upgrade, advance, raise - give a promotion to or assign to a higher position; "John was kicked upstairs when a replacement was hired"; "Women tend not to advance in the major law firms"; "I got promoted after many years of hard work" advantage - give an advantage to; "This system advantages the rich"
	4.	prefer - give preference to one creditor over another law, jurisprudence - the collection of rules imposed by authority; "civilization presupposes respect for the law"; "the great problem for jurisprudence to allow freedom while enforcing order" pay - give money, usually in exchange for goods or services; "I paid four dollars for this sandwich"; "Pay the waitress, please"

---

prefer

verb 1. like better, favour, go for, pick, select, adopt, fancy, opt for, single out, plump for, incline towards, be partial to

verb 2. choose, elect, opt for, pick, wish, desire, would rather, would sooner, incline towards

USAGE Normally, to (not than) is used after prefer and preferable. Therefore, you would say I prefer skating to skiing, and a small income is preferable to no income at all. However, when expressing a preference between two activities stated as infinitive verbs, for example to skate and to ski, use than, as in I prefer to skate than to ski.

Translations

prefer [prɪˈfəːʳ] vt → preferir;

(LAW) [+ charges, complaint]; presentar: [+ action]; entablar;

to prefer coffee to tea → preferir el café al té

---

prefer [prɪˈfəːʳ] vt → préférer;

(Law);

to prefer charges → procéder à une inculpation;

to prefer coffee to tea → préférer le café au thé;

to prefer doing or to do sth → préférer faire qch

---

prefer [prɪˈfəːʳ] vt (= like better) → vorziehen;

to prefer charges (Law) → Anklage erheben;

to prefer doing or to do sth → (es) vorziehen, etw zu tun;

I prefer tea to coffee → ich mag lieber Tee als Kaffee

---

prefer [prɪˈfəːʳ] vt → preferire;

(LAW) [+ charges, complaint]; sporgere: [+ action]; intentare;

to prefer coffee to tea → preferire il caffè al tè