eher
adv · /ˈeːər/ ·Etymology
Chiefly from haplology of Middle High German ērer, from Old High German ēriro, from Proto-Germanic *airizô. Compare Dutch eerder. Likely conflated with Middle High German ēr, a rarer byform of ē (whence modern eh, ehe), from Old High German ēr, from Proto-Germanic *airiz, adverbial form of the above. Cognate with Dutch eer, English ere, Gothic 𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌹𐍃 (airis). The final /r/ was regularly lost in Late Old High German (cf. da, hie, wo), but survived regionally (chiefly in Central German).
Translation
-
comparative degree of bald / früh: sooner, earlier
comparative, form-of
Es tut mir leid, aber ich konnte nicht eher kommen.
I'm sorry, but I couldn’t make it earlier.
- before source:wikdict-en-de-stardict
-
rather; fairly, relatively, somewhat; expresses a weakened degree
Es scheint eher unwahrscheinlich, dass sie je ins Ausland geht.
It seems fairly unlikely that she will ever go abroad.
Eine Paketbombe, die Anfang vergangener Woche im Kanzleramt eintraf, war von eher geringer Sprengkraft.
A parcel bomb, which arrived in the Chancellery at the beginning of last week, was of relatively small explosive force.
Die Verbraucher in Deutschland halten sich beim Konsum von Fisch angesichts hoher Preise eher zurück.
Consumers in Germany are rather reluctant to consume fish in the face of high prices.
-
rather; sooner, more readily, preferably; expresses a preference
Wenn ich wählen muss, würde ich eher ins Kino gehen.
If I have to choose, I’d rather go to the cinema.
Eher will ich einen Affen heiraten als dich!
I'd sooner marry an ape than you!
-
rather; more precisely speaking, in fact, more like; used to replace a word or phrase with another
Der Wein scheint mir nicht trocken zu sein, eher halbtrocken.
This wine doesn’t seem to be dry, rather medium dry.
Diese Aufführung ist doch kein Theater mehr, eher Affentheater!
This performance isn’t theatre. Monkey theatre more like! [i.e. a farce, charade]