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Webster's Dictionary (1865)

5 entries under this word

Better

Bĕt'ter, a.

adjective

a.; comp. of good. [O. Eng. betere, beter, bet, bett; A-S. bett, bet, betera, betra, betere, betre; Icel. betri, betr; Goth. batiza; O. H. Ger. beziro, peziro; M. H. Ger. bezzer; N. H. Ger. besser, from Goth. bats, good, akin to Skr. bhadra, glad, happy, from root bhand, to rejoice, with n omitted and suffix ra. See BEST, and cf. BATFUL.] 1. Having good qualities in a greater degree than another; as, a better soil, a better physician, a better house, a better air, a better harvest. 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. “Our better part remains.” Milton. “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. Without all comparison better than his subjects. Tyndale. 3. Improved in health; less affected with disease; as, the patient is better. To be better off, to be in a better condition. Beddoes.

Bĕt'ter, n.

noun

n. 1. Advantage, superiority, or victory; — usually with of; as, to get the better of an enemy. 2. Improvement; greater excellence. If I have altered him any where for the better. Dryden. 3. One who has a claim to precedence; a superior; — usually in the plural. “Their betters would hardly be found.” Hooker.

Bē'tter, adv.

adverb

adv.; comp. of well. 1. In a superior or more excellent manner; with more skill and wisdom, virtue, advantage, or success. “Better burn it now, than curse it then.” Shak.

  1. More correctly. “The better to understand the extent of our knowledge.” Locke.
  2. In a higher or greater degree; more; as, to love one better than another.

“Never was monarch better feared.” Shak.

Bĕt'ter, v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. [imp. & p. p. BETTERED; p. pr. & vb. n. BETTERING.] [A.-S. beterian, betrian, D. beteren, Icel. betra, Sw. bättra, Dan. bedre, O. H. Ger. beziron, peziron, M. H. Ger. bezzern, N. H. Ger. bessern. See supra.] 1. To improve or meliorate; to increase the good qualities of. Love betters what is best. Wordsworth. He thought to better his circumstances. Thackeray. 2. To surpass in excellence; to exceed. [Obs.] The works of nature do always aim at that which can not be bettered. Hooker. 3. To give advantage to; to support. [Obs.] Weapons more violent, when next we meet, May serve to better us and worse our foes. Milton. Syn.—To improve; meliorate; mend; amend; correct; emend; reform; rectify; advance; promote.

Bĕt'ter, n.

noun

n. One who bets; a bettor.