better
adjectiveadverbnounverbverbnountop 1 000 in film dialogue
- United Kingdom/[ˈbɛtʰ.ə]/
- Australia/[ˈbeɾ.ə]/
- New Zealand/[ˈbeɾ.ɐ]/
- //ˈbɛt.ə//
- /[ˈbeʔ.ə]/
Greater in amount or quantity
adjective
- 1
Greater in amount or quantity
“The air was still with the lonely thrill of 'now the hour is near' And the smell of sweat was better yet than the awful stench of fear.”
- 2
Greater or lesser (whichever is seen as more advantageous), in reference to value, distance, time, etc.
The top electric vehicles have a range of 300 kilometres or better.
Only one swimmer finished the race with a time better than two minutes.
- 3
Healed or recovered from an injury or illness.
We can't go to the zoo today because you're sick; let's go when you're all better.
- 4
Also a form of good and wellcomparative degree of good and well
How are you? ~ A little better, thanks.
Badger: You think you're better than other people. Mal: Just the ones I'm better than.
Etymology
From Middle English better, bettre, betre, from Old English betera (“better”), from Proto-West Germanic *batiʀō, from Proto-Germanic *batizô (“better”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰed-rós, from *bʰed- (“good”). Cognate with Dutch beter, German besser, Danish and Norwegian Bokmål bedre, Norwegian Nynorsk betre, Swedish bättre, Faroese and Icelandic betri. Also Sanskrit भ॒द्र (bhadrá, “blessed; fortunate; happy; good”) (from *bʰn̥d-ró-s). Related to best and battle (“getting better; improving; fruitful; fertile”). Compare also Icelandic batna (“to improve”), bót (“improvement”), German besser. More at batten, boot. False cognate of Persian بهتر (behtar).
adverb
- 1
Also a form of wellcomparative form of well: more well
The engine runs better now that I've given it some oil.
I could never better stead thee than now.[…]
“I’ve had enough of cycling with you chaps. I can spend my Sundays better than in tormenting cats and quarrelling and fighting.”
noun
- 1
An entity, usually animate, deemed superior to another; one who has a claim to precedence; a superior.
He quickly found Ali his better in the ring.
Their betters would hardly be found.
verb
- 1
Had better.
It's getting late. You better get on home.
Nobody better hurt any of my kids.
Nothing better've happened to the guitar I lent you!
Etymology
Shortening of had better ('d better).
verb
- 1
To improve.
This government will better our society.
They tried to better themselves by attaining a good education.
attempts to better the lot of the refugees
Love betters what is best.
- 2
To become better; to improve.
- 3
To surpass in excellence; to exceed; to excel; to improve on.
He summed the whole thing up in a way that I couldn't possibly better.
The works of nature do always aim at that which can not be bettered.
- 4
To give advantage to; to support; to advance the interest of.
Weapons more violent, when next we meet, / May serve to better us and worse our foes.
Etymology
From Middle English beteren, from Old English beterian, betrian, from Proto-Germanic *batizōną. Cognate with West Frisian betterje (“to better”), Dutch beteren (“to better”), German bessern (“to better”), Danish bedre (“to better”), Swedish bättra (“to better”).
noun
- 1
Variant of bettorAlternative spelling of bettor.
Etymology
Alternative spelling of bettor or modern formation from the verb to bet + -er.
Forms
- plural
- betters
- comparative
- betterer
- superlative
- best
- past tense
- bettered
- past participle
- bettered
- present participle
- bettering
- third person singular
- betters