better

¹

[ bet-er ]

adjective

1. of superior quality or excellence:

   a better coat; a better speech.

2. morally superior; more virtuous:

   They are no better than thieves.

3. of superior suitability, advisability, desirability, acceptableness, etc.; preferable:

   a better time for action.

4. larger; greater:

   the better part of a lifetime.

5. improved in health; healthier than before.
6. completely recovered in health.

adverb

1. in a more appropriate or acceptable way or manner:

   to behave better.

2. to a greater degree; more completely or thoroughly:

   He knows the way better than we do. I probably know him better than anyone else.

3. more:

   I walked better than a mile to town.

verb (used with object)

1. to increase the good qualities of; make better; improve:

   to better one's grades;

   to better the lot of the suburban commuter.

   Synonyms: rectify, reform, promote, advance, amend, correct

2. to improve upon; surpass; exceed:

   We have bettered last year's production record.

3. Cards. to raise (a previous bid).

noun

1. that which has greater excellence or is preferable or wiser:

   the better of two choices.

2. Usually betters. those superior to one in wisdom, wealth, etc.

better

²

[ bet-er ]

noun

1. a variant of bettor.

better

¹

/ ˈbɛtə /

noun

1. a person who bets

better

²

/ ˈbɛtə /

adjective

1. the comparative of good
2. more excellent than other members of a particular group, category, etc
3. more suitable, advantageous, attractive, etc
4. improved in health
5. fully recovered in health
6. in more favourable circumstances, esp financially
7. better off
   in more favourable circumstances, esp financially
8. the better part of
   a large part of

   the better part of a day

adverb

1. the comparative of well 1
2. in a more excellent manner; more advantageously, attractively, etc
3. in or to a greater degree or extent; more

   she is better loved than her sister

4. go one better
   Brit intr; US tr to outdo (a person) or improve upon (someone else's effort)
5. had better
   would be wise, sensible, etc to

   I had better be off

6. know better than to
   not to be so stupid as to
7. think better of
   1. to change one's course of action after reconsideration
   2. to rate (a person) more highly

noun

1. the better
   something that is the more excellent, useful, etc, of two such things
2. usually plural a person who is superior, esp in social standing or ability
3. all the better for
   improved as a result of
4. all the better to
   more suitable to
5. for better for worse
   whatever the subsequent events or changes may be
6. for the better
   by way of improvement

   a change for the better

7. get the better of
   to defeat, outwit, or surpass
8. the better of
   having recovered from

   I'm not the better of it yet

verb

1. to make or become better
2. tr to improve upon; surpass

Other Words From

• un·bettered adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of better¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English bettre, Old English bet(te)ra; cognate with Old High German bezziro ( German besser ), Dutch beter, Old Norse betr, Gothic batiza, equivalent to bat- (cognate with Old High German baz (adverb) “better”; akin to boot ² ) + -iza comparative suffix; best

Origin of better²

bet ¹ + -er ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of better¹

Old English betera ; related to Old Norse betri , Gothic batiza , Old High German beziro

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. better off,
   1. in better circumstances.
   2. more fortunate; happier:

      Because of his asthma, he would be better off in a different climate.

2. better oneself, to improve one's social standing, financial position, or education:

   He is going to night school because he wants to better himself.

3. for the better, in a way that is an improvement:

   His health changed for the better.

4. get / have the better of,
   1. to get an advantage over.
   2. to prevail against.
5. go (someone) one better, to exceed the effort of; be superior to:

   The neighbors went us one better by buying two new cars.

6. had better, would be wiser or more well-advised to; ought to:

   We had better stay indoors today.

7. no better than one should be, morally inferior; immoral or amoral:

   Don't speak to him; he's no better than he should be!

8. think better of,
   1. to reconsider and decide more favorably or wisely regarding:

      I was tempted to make a sarcastic retort, but thought better of it.

   2. to form a higher opinion of:

      I think better of him now that he's gone back to college.

More idioms and phrases containing better

• against one's better judgment
• all better
• all the better
• discretion is the better part of valor
• for better or for worse
• get better
• get the better (best) of
• go one better
• had better (best)
• know better
• seen better days
• so much the better
• sooner the better
• take a turn for the better
• think better of
• you'd better believe it
• best

Example Sentences

Was the best baseball player on the planet even better than that?

From Los Angeles Times

"Our latest findings do not change the long-term warming since 1850. However, we can now better understand historical climate change and climate variability," says junior professor Dr Sebastian Sippel.

From Science Daily

It was the first time anyone had felt passionately enough to turn her name into a tattoo - and the timing could not have been better.

From BBC

"And what better a gift to give those kids than to be there for Christmas."

From BBC

"By including a wider range of climate hazards in resilience strategies, we can better protect our communities from the compounded effects of sea level rise and extreme weather."

From Science Daily

Related Words

• more