pre‧fer S2 W2 / prɪfɜ $ -fɜr / 动词 ( past tense and past participle preferred , present participle preferring ) [及物动词，不用于进行时]

1 to like someone or something more than someone or something else, so that you would choose it if you could → preference :

This type of owl prefers a desert habitat.

She prefers her coffee black.

the government’s preferred option

prefer somebody/something to somebody/something

a child that prefers his imaginary world to reality

Employees said they would prefer more flexible working hours.

prefer to do something

I prefer to wear clothes made of natural fibers.

Or, if you prefer , you can email us.

prefer doing something

Chantal prefers travelling by train.

prefer that

We prefer that our teachers have a degree in early childhood education.

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In everyday English, people often say they would rather do something instead of using prefer : I prefer to travel by train. ➔ I ’d rather travel by train.

2 I would prefer it if spoken

a) used to say that you wish a situation was different :

Sales have gone down, and obviously we’d prefer it if that didn’t happen.

b) used when telling someone politely not to do something :

I’d prefer it if you didn’t smoke in front of the children.

3 prefer charges British English law to make an official statement that someone has done something illegal