Bet"ter (&?;), a.; compar. of Good.
[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). 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.; compar. of
Well. 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.
