Definition of "better"

better¹

/ˈbɛtə/

adjective
positive good, adverb well, comparative (humorous) betterer, superlative (humorous) betterest, or (standard) best
1. comparative degree of good
  Quotations
  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
2. comparative degree of well
3. Greater in amount or quantity
  Quotations
  “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.”
  1972, Harvey Andrews, Hey Sandy
4. Greater or lesser (whichever is seen as more advantageous), in reference to value, distance, time, etc.
5. Healed or recovered from an injury or illness.
adverb
1. comparative degree of well
  Quotations
  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, [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
2. (colloquial shortening) Had better.
noun
plural betters
1. An entity, usually animate, deemed superior to another; one who has a claim to precedence; a superior.
  Quotations
  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, (please specify the page)

better²

/ˈbɛtə/

verb
1. (modal, auxiliary verb, colloquial) Had better.

better³

/ˈbɛtə/

verb
third-person singular simple present betters, present participle bettering, simple past and past participle bettered
1. (transitive) To improve.
  Quotations
  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
  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, volumes (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans
2. (intransitive) To become better; to improve.
3. (transitive) To surpass in excellence; to exceed; to excel.
  Quotations
  The works of nature do always aim at that which can not be bettered.
  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, (please specify the page)
4. (transitive) To give advantage to; to support; to advance the interest of.
  Quotations
  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], […]; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873,

better⁴

/ˈbɛtə/

noun
plural betters
1. Alternative spelling of bettor

Definition of "better"

better1

adjective

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adverb

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noun

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better2

verb

better3

verb

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better4

noun

better¹

better²

better³

better⁴