a.; compar. of Good. [ OE. betere, bettre, and as adv. bet, AS. betera, adj., and bet, adv.; akin to Icel. betri, adj., betr, adv., Goth. batiza, adj., OHG. bezziro, adj., baz, adv., G. besser, adj. and adv., bass, adv., E. boot, and prob. to Skr. bhadra excellent. See Boot advantage, and cf. Best, Batful. ] 1. Having good qualities in a greater degree than another; as, a better man; a better physician; a better house; a better air. [ 1913 Webster ]

Could make the worse appear
The better reason. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Preferable in regard to rank, value, use, fitness, acceptableness, safety, or in any other respect. [ 1913 Webster ]

To obey is better than sacrifice. 1 Sam. xv. 22. [ 1913 Webster ]

It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes. Ps. cxviii. 9. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Greater in amount; larger; more. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Improved in health; less affected with disease; as, the patient is better. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. More advanced; more perfect; as, upon better acquaintance; a better knowledge of the subject. [ 1913 Webster ]

All the better. See under All, adv. --
Better half, an expression used to designate one's wife. [ 1913 Webster ] My dear, my better half (said he),
I find I must now leave thee. Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ] --
To be better off, to be in a better condition. --
Had better. (See under Had). The phrase had better, followed by an infinitive without to, is idiomatic. The earliest form of construction was “were better” with a dative; as, “Him were better go beside.” (Gower.) i. e., It would be better for him, etc. At length the nominative (I, he, they, etc.) supplanted the dative and had took the place of were. Thus we have the construction now used. [ 1913 Webster ] By all that's holy, he had better starve
Than but once think this place becomes thee not. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv.; compar. of Well. 1. In a superior or more excellent manner; with more skill and wisdom, courage, virtue, advantage, or success; as, Henry writes better than John; veterans fight better than recruits. [ 1913 Webster ]

I could have better spared a better man. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. More correctly or thoroughly. [ 1913 Webster ]

The better to understand the extent of our knowledge. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. In a higher or greater degree; more; as, to love one better than another. [ 1913 Webster ]

Never was monarch better feared, and loved. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. More, in reference to value, distance, time, etc.; as, ten miles and better. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

To think better of (any one), to have a more favorable opinion of any one. --
To think better of (an opinion, resolution, etc.), to reconsider and alter one's decision. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Bettered p. pr. & vb. n. Bettering. ] [ AS. beterian, betrian, fr. betera better. See Better, a. ] 1. To improve or ameliorate; to increase the good qualities of. [ 1913 Webster ]

Love betters what is best. Wordsworth. [ 1913 Webster ]

He thought to better his circumstances. Thackeray. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To improve the condition of, morally, physically, financially, socially, or otherwise. [ 1913 Webster ]

The constant effort of every man to better himself. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To surpass in excellence; to exceed; to excel. [ 1913 Webster ]

The works of nature do always aim at that which can not be bettered. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To give advantage to; to support; to advance the interest of. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Weapons more violent, when next we meet,
May serve to better us and worse our foes. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To improve; meliorate; ameliorate; mend; amend; correct; emend; reform; advance; promote. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To become better; to improve. Carlyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. Advantage, superiority, or victory; -- usually with of; as, to get the better of an enemy. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who has a claim to precedence; a superior, as in merit, social standing, etc.; -- usually in the plural. [ 1913 Webster ]

Their betters would hardly be found. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

For the better, in the way of improvement; so as to produce improvement. “If I have altered him anywhere for the better.” Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who bets or lays a wager. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. changing for the better; -- antonym of worsening. [ Narrower terms: ameliorating(prenominal), ameliorative, amelioratory, meliorative ] [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. prenom. more familiar or renowned than the other of two. Antonym of lesser-known. the better known book of the two
Syn. -- better known(predicate). [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. more pleasing in appearance especially by reason of conformity to ideals of form and proportion. better-looking than her sister
Syn. -- fine-looking, good-looking, handsome, well-favored, well-favoured. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. A making better; amendment; improvement. W. Montagu. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) An improvement of an estate which renders it better than mere repairing would do; -- generally used in the plural. [ U. S. ] Bouvier. [ 1913 Webster ]