a.

[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. to Skr. bhadra excellent. See Boot advantage, and cf. Best, Batful.]

1. Having good qualities in a greater degree than another; as, a better man; a better physician; a better house; a better air.

Could make the worse appear
The better reason.

Milton.

2. Preferable in regard to rank, value, use, fitness, acceptableness, safety, or in any other respect.

To obey is better than sacrifice.

1 Sam. xv. 22.

It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.

Ps. cxviii. 9.

3. Greater in amount; larger; more.

4. Improved in health; less affected with disease; as, the patient is better.

5. More advanced; more perfect; as, upon better acquaintance; a better knowledge of the subject.

All the better. See under All, adv. -- Better half, an expression used to designate one's wife.

My dear, my better half (said he),
I find I must now leave thee.

Sir P. Sidney.

-- To be better off, to be in a better condition. -- Had better. (See under Had). Note: The phrase had better, followed by an infinitive without to, is idiomatic. The earliest form of construction was «were better» with a dative; as, «Him were better go beside.» (Gower.) i. e., It would be better for him, etc. At length the nominative (I, he, they, etc.) supplanted the dative and had took the place of were. Thus we have the construction now used.

By all that's holy, he had better starve
Than but once think this place becomes thee not.

Shak.

Bet·ter
n.

1. Advantage, superiority, or victory; -- usually with of; as, to get the better of an enemy.

2. One who has a claim to precedence; a superior, as in merit, social standing, etc.; -- usually in the plural.

Their betters would hardly be found.

Hooker.

For the better, in the way of improvement; so as to produce improvement. «If I have altered him anywhere for the better.» Dryden.

Bet·ter
adv.

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.

I could have better spared a better man.

Shak.

2. More correctly or thoroughly.

The better to understand the extent of our knowledge.

Locke.

3. In a higher or greater degree; more; as, to love one better than another.

Never was monarch better feared, and loved.

Shak.

4. More, in reference to value, distance, time, etc.; as, ten miles and better. [Colloq.]

To think better of (any one), to have a more favorable opinion of any one. -- To think better of (an opinion, resolution, etc.), to reconsider and alter one's decision.

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.

Love betters what is best.

Wordsworth.

He thought to better his circumstances.

Thackeray.

2. To improve the condition of, morally, physically, financially, socially, or otherwise.

The constant effort of every man to better himself.

Macaulay.

3. To surpass in excellence; to exceed; to excel.

The works of nature do always aim at that which can not be bettered.

Hooker.

4. To give advantage to; to support; to advance the interest of. [Obs.]

Weapons more violent, when next we meet,
May serve to better us and worse our foes.

Milton.

Syn. -- To improve; meliorate; ameliorate; mend; amend; correct; emend; reform; advance; promote.

Bet·ter
v. i.

To become better; to improve. Carlyle.

Bet·ter
n.

One who bets or lays a wager.

---

Indication, abbreviated OB on the Order Ticket of a Limit Order to buy or sell securities, that the broker should transact the order at a price better than the specified Limit Price if a better price can be obtained.

adjective

1. Of greater excellence than another: preferable, superior. See better/worse.
2. Much more than half: best, greater, larger, largest, most. See better/worse, big/small/amount.

adverb

To a greater extent: more,, big/small/amount.

noun

1. One who stands above another in rank: elder, senior, superior. Informal higher-up. See over/under.
2. A dominating position, as in a conflict: advantage, bulge, draw, drop, edge, superiority, upper hand, vantage. Informal inside track, jump. See over/under.

verb

1. To advance to a more desirable state: ameliorate, amend, help, improve, meliorate, upgrade. See help/harm/harmless.
2. To be greater or better than: best, exceed, excel, outdo, outmatch, outrun, outshine, outstrip, pass, surpass, top, transcend. Informal beat. Idioms: go beyond, go one better. See big/small/amount.

Idioms beginning with better:
better part of
better late than never
better off

See also 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. Also see under best.

---

adj

Definition: excelling, more excellent
Antonyms: inferior, worse

adj

Definition: improved in health
Antonyms: more ill, sicker, unhealthy, worse

adj

Definition: larger
Antonyms: littler, smaller, tinier

adv

Definition: in a more excellent manner
Antonyms: worse

v

Definition: improve performance; outdo
Antonyms: deteriorate, get worse, worsen

---

IN BRIEF: In a more excellent manner.

Building a better you is the first step to building a better America. — Zig Ziglar, American master sales trainer, author, motivating speaker.

Dansk (Danish)
1.
adj. - bedre, i bedring
adv. - mere, bedre
n. - bedste (af to)
v. tr. - slå, overgå
v. intr. - blive bedre, gøre bedre, forbedre

idioms:

• all the better    så meget bedre
• be better off    klare sig bedre, være bedre stillet
• better half    bedre halvdel
• for better or for worse    i medgang og i modgang
• for the better    til det bedre
• get better    komme sig, få det bedre
• get the better of    overvinde, få overtaget
• go one better    overtrumfe, overbyde
• so much the better    så meget bedre
• the ... the better    jo.... desto bedre
• the better part    størstedelen

2.
n. - hellere, helst

Nederlands (Dutch)
beter, hersteld van ziekte, groter, meer, betere, verbetering, iemand die gokt, verbeteren, genezen, overtreffen

Français (French)
1.
adj. - meilleur, mieux
adv. - mieux, plus
n. - mieux, amélioration, supérieurs (npl)
v. tr. - améliorer, rendre (qch) meilleur, surpasser
v. intr. - s'améliorer

idioms:

• all the better    encore mieux/meilleur qu'avant
• better half    conjoint, sa moitié (hum)
• better off    (être) plus à son aise (matériellement), (se trouver) dans de meilleures conditions, (être) dans une meilleure position, bien mieux
• for better or for worse    pour le meilleur et pour le pire, advienne que pourra
• for the better    pour le meilleur
• get better    mieux se porter, bien se porter
• get the better of    triompher (de qn), venir à bout de (qch)
• go one better    faire encore mieux
• had better    devoir faire, valoir mieux le faire
• have the better of    triompher (de qn), venir a bout (de qch)
• so much the better    encore mieux/meilleur qu'avant
• the ... the better    le plus ... le mieux/meilleur
• the better part of    la plus grande partie de

2.
n. - parieur, turfiste

Deutsch (German)
1.
adj. - besser
adv. - besser (Komparativ von gut)
n. - das Bessere, Vorteil
v. - verbessern

idioms:

• all the better    um so besser
• better half    bessere Hälfte, Ehehälfte
• better off    besser dran
• for better or for worse    auf Gedeih und Verderb, in Freud und Leid
• for the better    fast alle
• get better    gesund werden
• get the better of    besiegen
• go one better    überbieten
• had better    sollten
• have the better of    das Beste von etw. haben
• so much the better    umso besser
• the ... the better    je ... desto besser
• the better part of    der größte Teil

2.
n. - Wetter

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - βελτιώνω/-ομαι, καλυτερεύω, υπερβαίνω, ξεπερνώ
adj. - καλύτερος, μεγαλύτερος

idioms:

• all the better    τόσο το καλύτερο
• be better off    βρίσκομαι σε καλύτερη μοίρα, έχω μεγαλύτερη οικονομική άνεση
• better half    έτερο ήμισυ
• for better or for worse    (και) ό, τι ήθελε προκύψει, δια βίου, στη χαρά και στη λύπη
• for the better    προς το καλύτερο
• get better    καλυτερεύω, γιαίνω, βελτιώνομαι
• get the better of    υπερισχύω, επικρατώ, νικώ, υπερνικώ, ξεγελώ
• go one better    πλειοδοτώ, υπερφαλαγγίζω, τα καταφέρνω καλύτερα
• so much the better    τόσο το καλύτερο
• the ... the better    όσο... τόσο το καλύτερο
• the better part    το μεγαλύτερο μέρος

Italiano (Italian)
migliorare, migliore

idioms:

• all the better    tanto meglio
• be better off    in condizioni migliori
• better half    la mia metà
• for better or for worse    nella buona e nella cattiva sorte
• get the better of    vincere
• go one better    sorpassare
• so much the better    tanto meglio
• the ... the better    tanto piú... tanto meglio
• the better part    la maggior parte
• think better of    ravvedersi

Português (Portuguese)
v. - melhorar
adj. - melhor, superior

idioms:

• all the better    tanto melhor
• be better off    estar em melhor situação
• better half    cônjuge (m), cara (f) metade
• for better or for worse    aconteça o que acontecer
• for the better    para melhor
• get better    melhorar
• get the better of    vencer
• go one better    fazer melhor (do que)
• so much the better    tanto melhor
• the ... the better    quanto mais melhor
• the better part    a maior parte
• think better of    pensar melhor sobre

Русский (Russian)
улучшать, лучше

idioms:

• all the better    тем лучше
• be better off    улучшить финансовое положение
• better half    супруг\супруга
• for better or for worse    в любом случае, как бы там ни было
• for the better    на лучшее
• get better    идти на поправку, улучшать свое положение
• get the better of    одержать верх, одолеть, победить
• go one better    превзойти кого-либо, сделать что-либо лучше
• so much the better    тем лучше
• the ... the better    чем ... тем лучше
• the better part    большая часть
• think better of    передумать, раздумать

Español (Spanish)
1.
adj. - mejor, mayor
adv. - mejor, más
n. - lo mejor, cosa mejor, ventaja, superioridad, mejoramiento
v. tr. - mejorar, superar
v. intr. - mejorarse, superarse

idioms:

• all the better    tanto mejor, mejor que antes
• better half    cara mitad, media naranja
• better off    estar mejor de dinero, encontrarse mejor, en circunstancias más favorables, aconsejado para tomar un cierto rumbo (en las finanzas)
• for better or for worse    en la suerte y en la desgracia, para lo bueno o para lo malo
• for the better    para bien
• get better    mejorarse, sentirse mejor de salud, recuperarse
• get the better of    vencer a alguien, engañar a alguien
• go one better    ofrecer más que
• had better    mas vale, mas valdría
• have the better of    tener lo mejor de
• so much the better    tanto mejor, aún más, mejor que antes
• the ... the better    cuanto....mejor
• the better part of    la mayor parte, lo mejor, la mejor parte

2.
n. - apostador, apostante

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - förbättra
adj. - bättre, mera, hellre

中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
1. 较好的, 比较好, 有利条件, 优势, 改善, 提高, 改进, 超过, 变得较好

idioms:

• all the better    反而更, 却更
• be better off    境况好
• better half    某人的夫或妻, 配偶
• for better or for worse    不论好坏, 不管怎样
• for the better    转好
• get better    转好
• get the better of    打败, 智胜
• go one better    稍稍胜过
• so much the better    如此更好
• the ... the better    越...越好
• the better part    大部分的

2. 较优者, 较好者

中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
1.
n. - 較優者, 較好者

2.
adj. - 較好的
adv. - 比較好
n. - 有利條件, 優勢
v. tr. - 改善, 提高, 改進, 超過
v. intr. - 變得較好

idioms:

• all the better    反而更, 卻更
• be better off    境況好
• better half    某人的夫或妻, 配偶
• for better or for worse    不論好壞, 不管怎樣
• for the better    轉好
• get better    轉好
• get the better of    打敗, 智勝
• go one better    稍稍勝過
• so much the better    如此更好
• the ... the better    越...越好
• the better part    大部分的

한국어 (Korean)
1.
adj. - ~보다 좋은, 차도가 있는
adv. - 보다 좋게, 더 많이
n. - 보다 좋은 것[사람]
v. tr. - ~을 더 좋게 하다, ~보다 우수하다
v. intr. - 더 좋아지다, 발전하다

idioms:

• be better off    보다 잘 살다
• get better    좋아지다
• get the better of    ~에게 이기다, 능가하다
• go one better    좀 더 잘하다, ~을 능가하다
• the ... the better    ~하면 할수록 좋다
• the better part    대부분
• the better part    나은 부분

2.
n. - 내기를 하는 사람

日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - …よりよい, より上等の, いっそう多い, 快方に向かって, より優れた
adv. - さらに多く, いっそう良く, いっそうよく
n. - いっそう良いもの, 賭けをする人
v. - 改良する, 良くなる

idioms:

• all the better    それだけいっそう
• be better off    いっそう裕福である
• better half    つれあい
• better late than never    遅くなってもやらないよりはまし
• better off    より幸福である, いっそう裕福である
• better safe than sorry    用心にこしたことはない
• better than nothing    ないよりはましである
• better the devil you know    正体のわかっている災いのほうがましである
• for better or for worse    良しも悪しも
• for the better    より良い結果で
• get better    よくなる
• get the better of    勝つ
• go one better    一つ上を行く
• has seen better days    もはや盛りを過ぎている, 当時の面影はない
• have seen better days    もはや盛りを過ぎている, 当時の面影
• one's better self    よい自分, 良心
• the ... the better    ～のほうが良い
• the better part    大部分

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) حسن, تفوق على (صفه) أحسن, أفضل, أجود, خير من‏

עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - ‮טוב יותר‬
adv. - ‮טוב יותר, באופן טוב יותר, במידה רבה יותר, מוטב ש-‬
n. - ‮דבר יותר טוב, אדם יותר טוב, בעל יכולת או דרגה גבוהה יותר‬
v. tr. - ‮שיפר, תיקן‬
v. intr. - ‮השתפר, השביח‬
n. - ‮מהמר‬

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