use of "rather"

[gjo123]

Is it correct to say, "It is rather warm in this room."?
Is it correct to say, "I rather like your dress."?
How is "rather" commonly misused?

[Casiopea]

rather is an adverb, and it has 5 uses:

1) as a preference
EX: Would you rather have tea instead?

2)as a more likely alternative
EX: I would rather do this than do that.

3) more precisely
EX: It's from a book, or rather, from a pamphlet that I've read.

4) slightly; to some extent, near synonymous with very (much).
EX: I am rather sleepy.
EX: It's rather warm in this room.
EX: I rather like your dress.

5) assuredly (as an emphatic response)
EX: Did you do well? -Rather! (i.e., Yes. I did very well, indeed!)

[gjo123]

Thanks, Cas, for the info. But, what would be an example of a commonly incorrect useage of the word "rather?"
An English teacher once told me that this word is commonly misused. I can't think of an example of using the term when it isn't used as an adverb.
Thanks

[Archie]

I'd rather you didn't

To what gategory does that fall in?

[gjo123]

Thanks for the effort, Archie. Are you telling me that rather, in the sentence you posed, is part of the complete verb?
The sentence was, I'd rather you didn't."
If that is the case, then you must be saying that using rather as a verb is incorrect?? Sorry, I'm not sure you are giving me an example of incorrect useage, or just another correct way to use the word.

[Archie]

I apologize, I was too eager to wait you getting the answer from Cassiopiea first, and made my question in between.

I guess it's polite way of saying that somebody should't do something, as in

"For if I am just one of the many you love then I'd rather you didn't love me"

But since it didn't seem to belong to any of the "groups" presented by Cassiopeia, I wonder what grammatical group can you put it??

[gjo123]

Archie, you have hit on my question......in your example sentence, you seem to be using "would rather" as the predicate of the clause beginning with then. Can we do that? Why don't you submit the question to Cas? Thanks, gjo123