better
Contents
EnglishEdit
PronunciationEdit
- (non-rhotic accents) IPA(key): /ˈbɛtə/
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): [ˈbɛtʰə]
- (General Australian, General New Zealand) IPA(key): [ˈbeɾə]
- (rhotic accents) IPA(key): /ˈbɛtəɹ/
Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -ɛtə(ɹ)
- Hyphenation: bet‧ter
Etymology 1Edit
From Middle English better, bettre, betre, from Old English betera (“better”), from Proto-Germanic *batizô (“better”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰed- (“good”). Cognate with Sanskrit भद्र (bhadrá, “blessed, fortunate, happy, good”). For Germanic cognates: see Proto-Germanic *batizô. Related to best and battle (“getting better, improving, fruitful, fertile”). Compare also Icelandic batna (“to improve”), Icelandic bót (“improvement”). More at batten, boot.
AdjectiveEdit
better (positive good, adverb well, comparative (humorous) betterer, superlative (humorous) betterest, or (standard) best)
- comparative form of good: more good
- comparative form of well: more well
- Greater in amount or quantity
- 1972, Harvey Andrews, Hey Sandy
- “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.”
- 1972, Harvey Andrews, Hey Sandy
Alternative formsEdit
- betta
- bettuh
- sometimes humorously elongated, like: betterererer, betterererererer
Derived termsEdit
TranslationsEdit
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AdverbEdit
better
- comparative form of well: more well
- 1901, Louis Couperus, Alexander Teixeira de Mattos (translator), Small Souls,
- “I’ve had enough of cycling with you chaps. I can spend my Sundays better than in tormenting cats and quarrelling and fighting.”
- 1901, Louis Couperus, Alexander Teixeira de Mattos (translator), Small Souls,
- More, in reference to value, distance, time, etc.
- ten miles and better
Derived termsEdit
TranslationsEdit
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NounEdit
better (plural betters)
- 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.
- Hooker
- Their betters would hardly be found.
Derived termsEdit
Etymology 2Edit
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”).
VerbEdit
better (third-person singular simple present betters, present participle bettering, simple past and past participle bettered)
- (transitive) To improve.
- Wordsworth
- Love betters what is best.
- Thackeray
- He thought to better his circumstances.
- Macaulay
- the constant effort of every man to better himself
- Wordsworth
- (intransitive) To become better; to improve.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Carlyle to this entry?)
- (transitive) To surpass in excellence; to exceed; to excel.
- Hooker
- The works of nature do always aim at that which can not be bettered.
- Hooker
- (transitive) To give advantage to; to support; to advance the interest of.
- Milton
- Weapons more violent, when next we meet, / May serve to better us and worse our foes.
- Milton
- (colloquial) Had better.
- You better do that if you know what's good for you.
SynonymsEdit
- See also Thesaurus:improve
Derived termsEdit
TranslationsEdit
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Etymology 3Edit
Alternate pronunciation of bettor or modern formation from the verb to bet.
NounEdit
better (plural betters)
- Alternative spelling of bettor
ReferencesEdit
- better at OneLook Dictionary Search
- better in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
Central FranconianEdit
Alternative formsEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Old High German bittar
PronunciationEdit
AdjectiveEdit
better (masculine bettere, feminine better, comparative betterer, superlative et betterste)
- (most dialects) bitter
- Mösse es e better Krock.
- To be obliged is a bitter herb. (A proverb.)
- Mösse es e better Krock.
ScotsEdit
PronunciationEdit
AdjectiveEdit
better
- comparative degree of guid
Derived termsEdit
- better-faured (“better-featured, better-looking”)
- bettermaist (“better-class”)
- betterment (“improvement”)
- betterness (“recovery”)
- the better o that (“the better for that”)
AdverbEdit
better (comparative mair better, superlative maist better)
NounEdit
better (uncountable)
- that which is better, something better or superior
VerbEdit
better (third-person singular present betters, present participle betterin, past bettert, past participle bettert)