Miss Bingley wasengrossed by Mr. Darcy, her sister scarcely less so; and as for Mr.Hurst, by whom Elizabeth sat, he was an indolent man, who lived only toeat, drink, and play at cards; who, when he found her to prefer a plaindish to a ragout, had nothing to say to her.
(Jane Austen - Pride and prejudice ) "Do you prefer reading to cards?" said he; "that is rather singular.
But I confess they would have no charms forme--I should infinitely prefer a book.
Having never even fancied herselfin love before, her regard had all the warmth of first attachment,and, from her age and disposition, greater steadiness than most firstattachments often boast; and so fervently did she value his remembrance,and prefer him to every other man, that all her good sense, and all herattention to the feelings of her friends, were requisite to check theindulgence of those regrets which must have been injurious to her ownhealth and their tranquillity.
( Dickens The Pickwick papers ) 'I'm wery much obliged to you, old gen'l'm'n,' replied Sam, 'forconsulting my conwenience, and I'm still more obliged to the othergen'l'm'n, who looks as if he'd just escaped from a giant's carrywan,for his wery 'andsome suggestion; but I should prefer your givin' me aanswer to my question, if it's all the same to you.
Suddenlyaware that he was in the presence of a stranger, Mr. Ben Allen advancedand, shaking Mr. Winkle most affectionately by both hands for about fiveminutes, murmured, in some half-intelligible fragments of sentences, thegreat delight he felt in seeing him, and a hospitable inquiry whether hefelt disposed to take anything after his walk, or would prefer waiting'till dinner-time;' which done, he sat down and gazed about him with apetrified stare, as if he had not the remotest idea where he was, whichindeed he had not.
You have done me many acts of kindness that I cannever repay, and have no wish to repay, for I prefer continuing theobligation.
I should prefer you, Jameson, to sleep upstairs inmy room to-night; if you put the bowl in the back room as usual, itwill be quite safe then.