better

Proverb: Mösse es e better Krock.

head

better (masculine bettere, feminine better, comparative betterer, superlative et betterste)

bettere (masculine)
better (feminine)
betterer (comparative)
et betterste (superlative)


better

Badger: You think you're better than other people.
Mal: Just the ones I'm better than.

2002 November 1, “Shindig”, in Firefly, episode 4:

“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.”

The top electric vehicles have a range of 300 kilometres or better. (better = greater)

Only one swimmer finished the race with a time better than two minutes. (better = lesser)

Greater or lesser (whichever is seen as more advantageous), in reference to value, distance, time, etc.

We can't go to the zoo today because you're sick; let's go when you're all better.

Healed or recovered from an injury or illness.

better (positive good, adverb well, comparative (humorous) betterer, superlative (humorous) betterest, or (standard) best)

good (positive)
well (adverb)
betterer (comparative humorous)
betterest (humorous superlative)
best (standard)

an ounce of prevention is better than an ounce of cure

an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure

better than a poke in the eye with a burnt stick

better than a poke in the eye with a rusty nail

better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick

better than a poke in the eye with a shitty stick

better the devil you know than the devil you don't know

better the devil you know than the one you don't know

better to light a candle than to curse the darkness

better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness

better to light one candle than to curse the darkness

better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness

it is better to travel hopefully than to arrive

it's better to ask forgiveness than permission

it's better to be judged by twelve than to be carried by six

the devil we know is better than the devil we don't know

the devil you know is better than the devil you don't know

→ Jamaican Creole: beta

ودرتر

comparative of the adjectives good or well

khoẻ hơn

comparative form of "well", as in "healthier"

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 Sanskrit भद्र (bhadrá, “blessed, fortunate, happy, good”) (from *bʰn̥d-ró-s). For Germanic cognates: see Proto-Germanic *batizô. Related to best and battle (“getting better, improving, fruitful, fertile”). Compare also Icelandic batna (“to improve”), bót (“improvement”), German besser. More at batten, boot.
Persian بهتر (behtar) is a false cognate.

cog

[ˈbɛtʰɚ~ˈbɛθ̠ɚ~ˈbɛt̪ɚ]

[ˈbɛʔɚ~ˈbɛʔəɾ]


better

The engine runs better now that I've given it some oil.

I could never better stead thee than now.[…]

c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]:

“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, translated by Alexander Teixeira de Mattos, Small Souls:

[ˈbɛtʰɚ~ˈbɛθ̠ɚ~ˈbɛt̪ɚ]

[ˈbɛʔɚ~ˈbɛʔəɾ]


better

He quickly found Ali his better in the ring.

Their betters would hardly be found.

1594–1597, Richard Hooker, edited by J[ohn] S[penser], Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], London: […] Will[iam] Stansby [for Matthew Lownes], published 1611, →OCLC, (please specify the page):

An entity, usually animate, deemed superior to another; one who has a claim to precedence; a superior.

[ˈbɛtʰɚ~ˈbɛθ̠ɚ~ˈbɛt̪ɚ]

[ˈbɛʔɚ~ˈbɛʔəɾ]


better

It's getting late. You better get on home.

(modal, auxiliary verb, colloquial) Had better.

[ˈbɛtʰɚ~ˈbɛθ̠ɚ~ˈbɛt̪ɚ]

[ˈbɛʔɚ~ˈbɛʔəɾ]


better

This government will better our society.

Love betters what is best.

1815, William Wordsworth, From the same (To the Supreme Being):

He thought to better his circumstances.

1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 2, in Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848, →OCLC:

the constant effort of every man to better himself

1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter 3, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC:

(intransitive) To become better; to improve.

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

(transitive) To surpass in excellence; to exceed; to excel.

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

1667, John Milton, “Book VI”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:

(transitive) To give advantage to; to support; to advance the interest of.

en-verb

better (third-person singular simple present betters, present participle bettering, simple past and past participle bettered)

betters (present singular third-person)
bettering (participle present)
bettered (participle past)
bettered (past)
better (infinitive)

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”).

[ˈbɛtʰɚ~ˈbɛθ̠ɚ~ˈbɛt̪ɚ]

[ˈbɛʔɚ~ˈbɛʔəɾ]


better

Alternative spelling of bettor or modern formation from the verb to bet + -er.

[ˈbɛtʰɚ~ˈbɛθ̠ɚ~ˈbɛt̪ɚ]

[ˈbɛʔɚ~ˈbɛʔəɾ]


better

From Middle English bettre, from Old English betera.


better

head

better (comparative mair better, superlative maist better)

mair better (comparative)
maist better (superlative)


better

that which is better, something better or superior


better

better (third-person singular simple present betters, present participle betterin, simple past bettert, past participle bettert)

betters (present singular third-person)
betterin (participle present)
bettert (past)
bettert (participle past)


better

inflection of goed:
predicative comparative degree

indefinite neuter singular comparative degree