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better
1[ bet-er ]
adjective
- of superior quality or excellence:
a better coat; a better speech.
- morally superior; more virtuous:
They are no better than thieves.
- of superior suitability, advisability, desirability, acceptableness, etc.; preferable:
a better time for action.
- larger; greater:
the better part of a lifetime.
- improved in health; healthier than before.
- completely recovered in health.
adverb
- in a more appropriate or acceptable way or manner:
to behave better.
- to a greater degree; more completely or thoroughly:
He knows the way better than we do. I probably know him better than anyone else.
- more:
I walked better than a mile to town.
verb (used with object)
noun
- that which has greater excellence or is preferable or wiser:
the better of two choices.
- Usually betters. those superior to one in wisdom, wealth, etc.
better
2[ bet-er ]
noun
- a variant of bettor.
better
1/ ˈbɛtə /
noun
- a person who bets
better
2/ ˈbɛtə /
adjective
- the comparative of good
- more excellent than other members of a particular group, category, etc
- more suitable, advantageous, attractive, etc
- improved in health
- fully recovered in health
- in more favourable circumstances, esp financially
- better offin more favourable circumstances, esp financially
- the better part ofa large part of
the better part of a day
adverb
- the comparative of well 1
- in a more excellent manner; more advantageously, attractively, etc
- in or to a greater degree or extent; more
she is better loved than her sister
- go one betterBrit intr; US tr to outdo (a person) or improve upon (someone else's effort)
- had betterwould be wise, sensible, etc to
I had better be off
- know better than tonot to be so stupid as to
- think better of
- to change one's course of action after reconsideration
- to rate (a person) more highly
noun
- the bettersomething that is the more excellent, useful, etc, of two such things
- usually plural a person who is superior, esp in social standing or ability
- all the better forimproved as a result of
- all the better tomore suitable to
- for better for worsewhatever the subsequent events or changes may be
- for the betterby way of improvement
a change for the better
- get the better ofto defeat, outwit, or surpass
- the better ofhaving recovered from
I'm not the better of it yet
verb
- to make or become better
- tr to improve upon; surpass
Other Words From
- un·bettered adjective
Word History and Origins
Origin of better1
Word History and Origins
Origin of better1
Idioms and Phrases
- better off,
- in better circumstances.
- more fortunate; happier:
Because of his asthma, he would be better off in a different climate.
- better oneself, to improve one's social standing, financial position, or education:
He is going to night school because he wants to better himself.
- for the better, in a way that is an improvement:
His health changed for the better.
- get / have the better of,
- to get an advantage over.
- to prevail against.
- go (someone) one better, to exceed the effort of; be superior to:
The neighbors went us one better by buying two new cars.
- had better, would be wiser or more well-advised to; ought to:
We had better stay indoors today.
- no better than one should be, morally inferior; immoral or amoral:
Don't speak to him; he's no better than he should be!
- think better of,
- to reconsider and decide more favorably or wisely regarding:
I was tempted to make a sarcastic retort, but thought better of it.
- 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
The Lakers, still without Austin Reaves because of a lower back bruise, were only mildly better on offense Wednesday than they were on defense.
You’ve got some that are much lower end and others that are much more skilled and with better equipment.
This includes reducing infections through better water, sanitation and hygiene, improving vaccine uptake, strengthening hospital infection control policies, educating physicians and deterring self-medication by patients.
“This was really about Husan, and the more we got to know him, got to evaluate him, the more we got to see his mental makeup, how team-oriented he was, how serious he was about the game, we just felt like in the end, there wasn’t a better fit for us,” Riley said.
"The playing group are still together and I still have a lot of things that I will try and do to given them a better chance than this evening."
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Related Words
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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