Rural Dictionary

than

On the internet, this word does not exist. It is an anachronism - an attempt to hold on to the old ways of proper English. Don't bother using it. People under the age of 25 will just assume you made a typo while typing "then".

I would rather drink Drano than remember even the simplest lessons from elementary school English class. Errrrr, I mean 'I would rather drink Drano THEN remember...'

by Cliff November 9, 2006

186👍 67👎

than

Used to compare two things. Not to be confused with then.

Would you rather do this than that?

by Frungi September 4, 2006

93👍 36👎

than

1 used when comparing two things, people, situations etc

2 other than except for a particular person or thing

3 would rather/would sooner ... than used to say that you prefer one thing to another

4 no sooner/hardly had ... than used to say that one thing happens immediately after another thing

(@ Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English)

1:
Natalie was prettier than her sister.
You need that money more than I do.
There were more people there than I expected.
If it costs more than $60, I won't buy it.
She had woken even earlier than usual.
Divorce is more common than it was a generation ago.

2:
We never go to church other than for funerals and weddings.
We know he lived in Fleet Road, but other than that we don't know much about him.

3:
I'd rather drive than go by train.
She said she'd rather die than live in the city.

4:
No sooner had I got into the house than the phone rang.
Hardly had they reached Edinburgh than they were ordered to return to London.