Definition of "best"

[…] when he is beſt, he is a little worſe then a man, and when he is worſt, he is little better than a beaſt:

c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act I, scene ii], page 163, column 1

Heav'ns laſt beſt gift, my ever new delight,

1667, John Milton, “Book V”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […]; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, line 19

Swinging in the backyard Pull up in your fast car whistling my name Open up a beer And you say get over here and play a video game […] I say you the bestest Lean in for a big kiss, put his favorite perfume on Go play your video game

2011 October 7, Lana Del Rey, Justin Parker (lyrics and music), “Video Games”, in Born to Die, performed by Lana Del Rey

Policing the relationship between government and business in a free society is difficult. […] Governments have to find the best people to fill important jobs: there is a limited supply of people who understand the financial system, for example. But governments must also remember that businesses are self-interested actors who will try to rig the system for their own benefit.

2013 August 10, Schumpeter, “Cronies and capitols”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848

Out of my ſight, thou Serpent, that name beſt Befits thee with him leagu'd, thy ſelf as falſe And hateful;

1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […]; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, lines 867–869

But had we beſt retire, I ſee a ſtorm?

1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […]”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J. M[acock] for John Starkey […], page 65, line 1072

He prayeth best, who loveth best / All things both great and small.

1797–1798 (date written), [Samuel Taylor Coleridge], “The Rime of the Ancyent Marinere”, in Lyrical Ballads, with a Few Other Poems, London: […] J[ohn] & A[rthur] Arch, […], published 1798

At her invitation he outlined for her the succeeding chapters with terse military accuracy ; and what she liked best and best understood was avoidance of that false modesty which condescends, turning technicality into pabulum.

1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter VIII, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company

Had I not best go to her?

1854, Arthur Pendennis [pseudonym; William Makepeace Thackeray], The Newcomes: Memoirs of a Most Respectable Family, volumes (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, […]

Home defender Per Mertesacker had to be at his best to stop a dangerous cross from Vassilis Torossidis reaching Djebbour, but moments later Arsenal doubled their lead through Santos.

2011 September 28, Tom Rostance, “Arsenal 2 - 1 Olympiakos”, in BBC Sport‎

Mel Gussow reviews the bests of off off Broadway

1994, Otis L. Guernsey, Jeffrey Sweet, The Best Plays of 1993-1994, page vii

But in true Cincinnati style, the bests consistently outnumber the worsts.

1995 October, Cincinnati Magazine, page 5

There are the bests for each institution, the bests for coalitions, and, of course, the bests for the group as a whole.

2011, G. Edward Evans, Sheila S. Intner, Jean Riddle Weihs, Introduction to Technical Services, page 149

If he's one of the bests, he should be fighting the bests, NOT the pipitsugins.

2013, Jesse Jose, Collections Of My Best And Most-Hated, "A Cup O' Kapeng Barako" Writings, page 209

The Norddeutscher Lloyd steamship Kronprinz Wilhelm left New York on May 3 , at 3.10 p.m. and reached Plymouth Sound on May 9 at 8 a.m. This was then a very fast crossing of the Atlantic, but it was not the record. The same ship had held the "Blue Riband" in 1902, but had been slightly bested by the Kaiser Wilhelm II, a larger vessel of the same line, in 1903, and that stood as the record until the Cunard Line secured the honours in 1909 with the Mauretania and held them for an unbroken period of 20 years.

1944 July and August, Charles E. Lee, “The "City of Truro"”, in Railway Magazine, pages 201–202

"You did not win because I was sloppy. You bested me, Uncle. I've never seen you fight like that before.”

2010, T. William Phillips, Restless Heart, page 16

'We best be going,' she said, looking at the clock.

1935, Edward Joseph O'Brien, John Cournos, editors, The Best British Short Stories of 1935, page 37

Brother, you best be gone when I return.

2010, Mary B. Morrison, Somebody's Gotta Be On Top