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| very |
| 1. adj. True, real, actual. | |
| The fierce hatred of a very woman. The very blood and bone of our grammar. He tried his very best. | |
| 2. adj. The same; identical. | |
| He proposed marriage in the same restaurant, at the very table where they first met. That's the very tool that I need. | |
| 3. adj. With limiting effect: mere. | |
| 4. adv. To a great extent or degree; extremely; exceedingly. | |
| You’re drinking very slowly. | |
| That dress is very you. | |
| 5. adv. True, truly. | |
| 6. adv. (with superlatives) (ngd, Used to firmly establish that nothing else surpasses in some respect.) | |
| He was the very best runner there. | |
| considerably |
| 1. adv. Significantly; to a degree worth considering. | |
| The situation has improved considerably. | |
| The situation is considerably better. | |
| quite |
| 1. adv. To the greatest extent or degree; completely, entirely.: | |
| 2. adv. With verbs, especially past participles. | |
| 3. adv. With prepositional phrases and spatial adverbs. | |
| 4. adv. With predicative adjectives. | |
| 5. adv. With attributive adjectives, following an (especially indefinite) article; chiefly as expressing contrast, difference etc. | |
| 6. adv. Preceding nouns introduced by the indefinite article. Chiefly in negative constructions. | |
| 7. adv. With adverbs of manner. | |
| 8. adv. In a fully justified sense; truly, perfectly, actually.: | |
| 9. adv. Coming before the indefinite article and an attributive adjective. (Now largely merged with moderative senses, below.) | |
| 10. adv. With plain adjectives, past participles, and adverbs. | |
| 11. adv. Coming before the definite article and an attributive superlative. | |
| 12. adv. Before a noun preceded by an indefinite article; now often with ironic implications that the noun in question is particularly noteworthy or remarkable. | |
| 13. adv. Before a noun preceded by the definite article. | |
| 14. adv. (now rare) With prepositional or adverbial phrases. | |
| 15. adv. To a moderate extent or degree; somewhat, rather. | |
| 16. interj. (chiefly UK) Indicates agreement; "exactly so". | |
| 17. n. (bullfighting) A series of passes made with the cape to distract the bull. | |
| rather |
| 1. adv. (obsolete) More quickly; sooner, earlier. | |
| 2. adv. Used to specify a choice or preference; preferably. (Now usually followed by than) | |
| I'd rather stay in all day than go out with them. I'd like this one rather than the other one. I'd rather be with you. | |
| 3. adv. (conjunctive) Used to introduce a contradiction; on the contrary. | |
| It wasn't supposed to be popular; rather, it was supposed to get the job done. She didn't go along, but rather went home instead. | |
| 4. adv. (conjunctive) Introducing a qualification or clarification; more precisely. (Now usually preceded by or.) | |
| I didn't want to leave. Or rather I did, just not alone. | |
| 5. adv. (degree) Somewhat, fairly. | |
| This melon is rather tasteless. This melon is rather tasteless, especially compared to the one we had last time. | |
| 6. v. (nonstandard, or dialectal) To prefer; to prefer to. | |
| 7. adj. (obsolete) Prior; earlier; former. | |
| 8. interj. (England, dated) An enthusiastic affirmation. | |
