better

better
Ⅰ.
bet VERB (betting; past and past part. bet or betted) 1) risk money or property against another's on the basis of the outcome of an unpredictable event such as a race or game. 2) informal feel sure.
NOUN 1) an act of betting. 2) a sum of money staked. 3) informal a candidate or option with a specified likelihood of success: Allen looked a good bet for victory. 4) (one's bet) informal one's opinion.
you bet — Cf. ↑you bet
DERIVATIVES bettor (also better) noun.
ORIGIN perhaps a shortening of obsolete abet «abetment».
Ⅱ.
better ADJECTIVE 1) more desirable, satisfactory, or effective. 2) partly or fully recovered from illness or injury.
ADVERB 1) more satisfactorily or effectively. 2) to a greater degree; more.
NOUN 1) that which is better; the better one. 2) (one's betters) chiefly dated or humorous one's superiors in social class or ability.
VERB 1) improve on or surpass. 2) (better oneself) achieve a higher social position or status.
better the devil you know than the devil you don't know — Cf. ↑better the devil you know than the devil you don't know
better off — Cf. ↑better off
the better part of — Cf. ↑the better part of
better safe than sorry — Cf. ↑better safe than sorry
for better or worse — Cf. ↑for better or worse
get the better of — Cf. ↑get the better of
had better — Cf. ↑had better
USAGE In the phrase had better do something the word had acts like an auxiliary verb and in informal spoken contexts it is often dropped, as in you better not come tonight . In writing, the had may be contracted to 'd but it should not be dropped altogether.
ORIGIN Old English.

English terms dictionary. 2015.

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  • Better — Bet ter, a.; compar. of Good. [OE. betere, bettre, and as adv. bet, AS. betera, adj., and bet, adv.; akin to Icel. betri, adj., betr, adv., Goth. batiza, adj., OHG. bezziro, adj., baz, adv., G. besser, adj. and adv., bass, adv., E. boot, and prob …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Better — is the comparative form of the adjective good .Better may also refer to: * to better as a verb means that someone or something has undergone betterment *better, an alternate spelling of bettor, as a noun, is someone who bets (gambles) *Better, a… …   Wikipedia

  • better — better1 [bet′ər] adj. [ME bettere, betere < OE betera: see BEST] 1. compar. of GOOD 2. of a more excellent sort; surpassing another or others 3. more suitable, more desirable, more favorable, more profitable, etc. 4. being more than half;… …   English World dictionary

  • better — adj Better, superior, preferable mean more worthy or more pleasing than another or others. Better, which often serves as the comparative of good, in this sense implies a quality or character in a person or thing that surpasses or exceeds that in… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Better — Bet ter, adv.; compar. of {Well}. 1. In a superior or more excellent manner; with more skill and wisdom, courage, virtue, advantage, or success; as, Henry writes better than John; veterans fight better than recruits. [1913 Webster] I could have… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • better — 1. had better. This common idiom is used in the form We had better go home or We d better go home; the negative form is We d better not go home and the interrogative Hadn t we better go home?. Informally (but not in more formal contexts), the… …   Modern English usage

  • Better — Bet ter, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Bettered}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Bettering}.] [AS. beterian, betrian, fr. betera better. See {Better}, a.] 1. To improve or ameliorate; to increase the good qualities of. [1913 Webster] Love betters what is best.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • better — [adj1] excelling, more excellent bigger, choice, exceeding, exceptional, finer, fitter, greater, higher quality, improved, larger, more appropriate, more desirable, more fitting, more select, more suitable, more useful, more valuable, preferable …   New thesaurus

  • Better — Bet ter, n. 1. Advantage, superiority, or victory; usually with of; as, to get the better of an enemy. [1913 Webster] 2. One who has a claim to precedence; a superior, as in merit, social standing, etc.; usually in the plural. [1913 Webster]… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Better — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Better es una canción de la banda de hard rock estadounidense Guns N Roses, que aparece en su sexto disco de estudio Chinese Democracy , album del cuál también es el segundo sencillo que se ha lanzado hasta el… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Better — Bet ter, v. i. To become better; to improve. Carlyle. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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