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bet·ter [ béttər ] (past and past participle bet·tered, present participle bet·ter·ing, 3rd person present singular bet·ters) CORE MEANING: indicating that somebody, something, or an action is superior in some way to something or somebody else or is an improvement upon a situation
  (adj) Concentrated laundry detergent is better because it requires a smaller box or bottle.
(adj) She is gradually getting better, albeit slowly.
(adj) That's hardly going to make things any better.
(adv) Treatment programs may get the job done better. |
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1. adjective more acceptable: more pleasing or acceptable than something else
That hairstyle is far better than the one you had before.
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2. adjective of greater quality: of greater quality, usefulness, or suitability than something else
Economic security helps ensure a better future for our children.
It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.
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3. adjective improved in health: in an improved state of health, after not being well
I'm feeling much better today, thank you.
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4. adverb to higher standard: in a more acceptable, appropriate, or effective way
He plays tennis much better than I do.
I liked her much better after I got to know her.
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5. adverb preferably: in a way that is preferable or more advantageous
Such things are better left unsaid.
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6. transitive verb surpass something: to improve on something
She hopes to better the record that she set at last year's championships.
He summed the whole thing up in a way that I couldn't possibly better.
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7. transitive verb improve self or thing: to improve yourself or something
(
formal
)
They tried to better themselves by attaining a good education.
attempts to better the lot of the refugees
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8. noun superior person: a person who is superior to another in some way
(
often used in the plural
)
They think themselves our betters.
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| [ Old English bettra< comparative of Germanic, "advantageous"] |
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better safe than sorry it is better to be overcautious than to take unnecessary risks
I think I locked the door, but I'll just go back and check - better safe than sorry!
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for better or worse whatever the outcome may be
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for the better in a way that improves a situation
a change for the better
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get the better of somebody
1. to defeat or be too strong for somebody
2. to be too strong for somebody to control
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go one better to do something that has been done before but in a superior or preferable way
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had better do something ought to or must do something
You'd better tell them soon.
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