better

adjective

1》 more desirable, satisfactory, or effective. [compar. of the adjective good.]

    ↘more appropriate, advantageous, or well advised.

2》 partly or fully recovered from illness or injury. [compar. of the adjective well¹.]

adverb more excellently or effectively.

↘to a greater degree; more.

↘more suitably or usefully.

noun

1》 that which is better; the better one.

2》 (one's betters) chiefly dated or humorous one's superiors in social class or ability.

verb improve on or surpass.

↘(better oneself) achieve a higher social position or status.

↘overcome or defeat (someone).

Phrases

one's better half informal one's wife, husband, or partner.

better off in a more advantageous position, especially in financial terms.

the better part of most of.

better than N. Amer. more than.

the better to —— so as to do the specified thing better.

for better or (for) worse whether the outcome is good or bad.

get the better of defeat or overcome.

go one better narrowly surpass.

had better would find it wiser to.

Origin

OE betera (adjective), of Gmc origin.

Usage

In the verb phrase had better do something the word had is often dropped in informal spoken contexts, as in you better not come tonight. In writing, the had may be contracted to 'd but it should not be dropped altogether.