▪ I. better, a., (n.), and adv.
(ˈbɛtə(r))
Forms: 1–2 betera, 1–4 betere, 3–4 betre, 3–6 bettre, 4 beter, bettar, -ur, -yr, 4–5 bettir, 5 bettere, bettyrer (Cath. Angl.).
[Com. Teut.: OE. (sing. masc.) bętera = OFris. betera, OS. betiro (Du. beter-, OHG. beȥiro, mod.G. besser-e), Goth. batiza:—OTeut. *batiz-on-, used as the compar. of gôdo-z good, but itself pointing to a positive stem extant in no Teutonic lang., and prob. wanting also in OTeut. The root bat- was prob. related to bôt-: see beet v. and boot v. Fick and Kluge have compared Skr. bhadrá-s salutary, benign.]
A. adj. The comparative degree of good (which see for phrases and idiomatic uses in which the force of better corresponds with that of the positive adj.): more good. I. As simple adjective.
1. Of greater excellence, of superior quality. a. Said of persons, in respect of physical, mental, or esp. moral qualities; also, of social standing.
| c 893 K. ælfred Oros. iv. ix. §6 Þæt hie þa wæron beteran þeᵹnas þonne hie nu sien. 1382 Wyclif 1 Kings ii. 32 He slewȝ two riȝtwise men betere than hym self. 1596 Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, v. iv. 104, I could haue better spar'd a better man. 1617 Moryson Itin. iii. i. iii. 38 Fat men, as the Northerne, are better men then those who are leane, as the Southerne men be. 1632 Massinger City Mad. iii. iii, Be confident your better angel is Entered your house. 1709 Steele Tatler No. 164 ¶6 Looking upon my self as no better than a dead Man. 1856 Halliwell Shaks. V. 323 A person who exceeds another in wealth is said to be a better man than the other. |
b. Said of things, in respect of their essential qualities.
| c 1230 Hali Meid. 19 To ȝiuen ham stude & betere nome þen sunen & dohtren. a 1300 Cursor M. 2363 Ȝee sal weind til a better land. Ibid. 12088 Till bettir theues þu suld him wune. 1485 Caxton Paris & V. 33 Yf the sayd Iewellys were better the half than they be. c 1550 Bale K. Johan (1838) 73 Lyke Lorde, lyke chaplayne, neyther barrell better herynge. a 1555 Ridley Wks. 130 Oftentimes the greater part overcometh the better. 1611 Cotgr., A bon iour bon œuvre..as we say, the better day the better work. 1722 De Foe Plague (1754) 9 Coaches fill'd with People of the better Sort. 1823 Byron Island iii. ii, Their better feelings, if such were, were thrown Back on themselves. a 1847 Mrs. Sherwood Lady of M. III. xix. 86 The poor woman had been accustomed to what is called better life. |
c. Comb. with ns. used attrib., as better-class, better-quality, better-type.
| 1890 W. F. Butler Sir Chas. Napier 7 Merchants or local better-class farmers. 1965 K. Giles Some Beasts No More ii. 30 The better-class houses of 1910 vintage with area steps now unwhitened. |
| 1908 Westm. Gaz. 12 Aug. 11/3 Better-quality teas. 1958 Spectator 8 Aug. 196/1 The better-type delivery library. |
d. In phrases used attrib., as better-than-average, better-than-chance.
| 1922 A. Bennett Let. 8 Nov. (1966) I. 317 The respectable better-than-average English plays. 1938 J. Hilton To You, Mr. Chips i. 21 The school was perhaps a better-than-average example, both educationally and structurally, of its type. 1964 Language XL. 262 A better-than-chance probability that a language will possess certain features. |
2. Of persons and things: More profitable, useful, or suitable for a purpose; more eligible or desirable. Of persons: Kinder, more beneficent.
| c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 17 Betere hit is þet heo beon ispilled. 1297 R. Glouc. 367 So þat after betere wynd hii moste þere at stonde. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. B. Prol. 195 Better is a litel losse þan a longe sorwe. c 1375 Wyclif Sel. Wks. I. 138 Þe more þat an herd is lyke to Crist he is þe better..in þis office. 1394 P. Pl. Crede 762 A great bolle-ful of benen · were betere in his wombe. 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. i. i. 159, I must goe send some better Messenger. Ibid. ii. i. 145 Oh excellent deuise, was there euer heard a better? 1615 Latham Falconry (1633) 136 There is not a more better thing for any new swelling. 1703 Rowe Fair Penit. i. i. 7 Thy better Stars Are join'd to shed their kindest Influence on thee. 1810 Henry Elem. Chem. (1826) II. 532 We have much better indicators of both these acids. |
3. Of greater amount: a. More. b. Larger, greater; esp. in better half, better part, etc.
| a. 1587 Fleming Cont. Holinshed III. 1382/2 Woorth one hundred and twentie pounds and better. 1603 R. Johnson Kingd. & Commw. 129 Able to furnish better then ten thousand men with horse. 1630 Wadsworth Sp. Pilgr. iii. 15 Vntill nine and better they are exercised in repeating. 1679 Plot Staffordsh. (1686) 239 The bodies..being better than an inch long. 1769 Gray in N. Nicholls' Corr. (1843) 87 It is better than three weeks since I wrote to you. 1823 Scott Peveril vii, Pursued by half a score of horsemen and better. 1823 Lamb Some old Actors, Elia 399, I think it is now better than five-and-twenty years ago. |
| b. 1580 Sidney Arcadia iii. 334, I..shall thinke the better halfe of it alreadie atchieued. 1586 Cogan Haven Health (1636) 60 Let it boile untill the better part of the liquour be consumed. 1667 Marvell Corr. xxxvi. Wks. 1872–5 II. 81 Your businesse is the better-halfe done. 1707 Freind Peterboro's Cond. Sp. 197 That the Forces shou'd be divided, and the better half march immediately into Valencia. 1739 Swift Let. Wks. 1745 VIII. 376 Forced to sell the better half of his estate. 1805 Wordsw. Prel. v. (1850) 130 For the better part Of two delightful hours we strolled along. |
c. Hence, better half: orig. my better half, the more than half of my being; said of a very close and intimate friend (cf. ‘the better part of me’ Shakes.; ‘meæ partem animæ,’ ‘animæ dimidium meæ’ Horace; ‘animæ partem{ddd}nostræ majorem’ Statius); esp. (after Sidney) used for ‘my husband’ or ‘wife’; now, jocularly appropriated to the latter. Formerly also applied to the soul, as the better part of man.
| 1580 Sidney Arcadia iii. 280 [Argalus to Parthenia, his wife] My deare, my better halfe (sayd hee) I find I must now leaue thee. [c 1600 Shakes. Sonn. xxxix. 2 When thou art all the better part of me. 1646 Buck Rich. III, ii. 61 As if his [Richard's] body must suffer more, because they could not kill his better part.] 1709 J. Stevens Quevedo's Wks. 33 [A woman to her husband] Thou dear better-half of my soul. a 1720 Sheffield (Dk. Buckhm.) Wks. (1753) I. 274 My dear and better half is out of danger. 1742 R. Blair Grave 733 The lag flesh Rests, in hope of meeting once again Its better half [the soul]. 1842 T. Martin in Fraser's Mag. Dec. 241/2, I..shall look out for a better-half. |
4. a. In the predicate, after be, the neuter adj. formerly interchanged with the adv. bet, and its grammatical character is still dubious: the positive of ‘it is better to go’ may be either ‘it is good’ or ‘it is well.’ Cf. bet adv. 2. The dubiety is still greater in elliptical expressions, as in quot. 1553, 1667, 1837. See below, B 3.
| c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. xxxviii. §7 Hit is betere þæt mon wreᵹe þone scyldiᵹan. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Mark ix. 43 Betere þe is þæt þu wanhal to life ga. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 49 Betre hit is þet mon ne iknawe noht þe wei. c 1386 Chaucer Melib. ¶180 You is better hyde youre counseil in youre herte. 1470–85 Malory Arthur (1817) I. 242 Whether is me better to treate with Kynge Arthur, or to fyghte. 1553 Udall Roister D. (Arb.) 81 Better (they say) a badde scuse than none. 1667 Milton P.L. i. 263 Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heav'n. 1821 Keats Isabel xi, Better had it been for ever so. 1837 J. H. Newman Par. Serm. I. iii. 44 Better be a little too strict than a little too easy. |
b. In the idiomatic I, we, you, he, etc. had better, the original construction was me, us, etc. were betere (or bet) = it would be more advantageous for me, etc. (Cf. me is betere, etc. in 4.) The dat. pronoun was subsequently changed into the nominative, I, we, were better (perh. because in ns. the two cases were no longer distinguished). Finally this was given up for the current I had better = I should have or hold it better, to do, etc. (Mr. F. Hall has shown that in these changes, better followed in the main the analogy of liefer and rather.) See have. you'd better believe: you may be assured. colloq. (orig. U.S.).
| 971 Blickl. Hom. 25 Him wære betere þæt he næfre ᵹeboren nære. c 1160 Hatton Gosp. Mark ix. 42 Betere him wære þæt [he] wære on sæ ᵹeworpen. a 1320 Maximon in Rel. Antiq. I. 122 Betere me were ded þen þus alyve to be. 1393 Gower Conf. III. 241 Him were better go beside. a 1450 Knt. de la Tour 31 Hem were beter take the furre. 1465 Marg. Paston Lett. 534. II. 250 The Duck [= duke] had be beter..that it had never be don. |
| c 1370 K. Robt. Cicyle 55 Bettur he were..So to do then for hunger dye. 1470–85 Malory Arthur (1816) I. 33 Ye were better to give me a gift..than to lose great riches. 1594 T. B. La Primaud. Fr. Acad. 512 We were better to support the domesticall imperfections of our brethren. 1601 Shakes. Twel. N. ii. ii. 27 She were better loue a dreame. |
| [c 1435 Torr. Portugal 1186 Better he had to have be away.] 1537 Thersytes, Four O. Plays (1848) 69 They had better haue set me an errande at Rome. 1594 Harington in Nugæ Ant. (1804) I. 168 Who livethe for ease had better live awaie [from Court]. 1613 Shakes. Hen. VIII, v. iii. 132 He had better starue Then but once thinke his place becomes thee not. 1875 Jowett Plato I. 15, I had better begin by asking you a question. |
| 1856 Yale Lit. Mag. XXI. 171 (Th.), You'd better believe, I'll live in the clover. 1872 O. W. Holmes Poet Breakf.-t. x, My old gentleman means to be Mayor or Governor or President..you'd better b'lieve. 1968 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 17 Feb. 42 (Advt.), You'd better believe it... We've got 'em. |
(b) With had omitted (occas. with pronoun also omitted). colloq. (orig. U.S.).
| 1831 S. Smith Major Downing (1834) 65 My clothes had got so shabby, I thought I better hire out a few days and get slicked up a little. 1846 J. J. Hooper Some Adv. Simon Suggs (1851) i. 154 You better mind the holes in them ere rocks. 1865 Major Jack Downing of Downingville Militia (1867) ix. 70 You better believe we've been in an awful excitement here. 1904 A. Bennett Great Man xii. 120 Miss Foster she says her name is. Better show her in here, hadn't I? 1910 C. E. Mulford Hopalong Cassidy xi. 73, I reckon you better pull out—you ain't needed around here. 1946 K. Tennant Lost Haven (1947) i. 15 Well, we better get back to the house. Ibid. iii. 53 Brace better meet that train. 1968 Listener 9 May 596/2 You better get those two guys inside. |
c. to be better (in health, estate, etc.): see B 4.
5. Phrases. † (to have) the better hand: i.e. ‘the upper hand,’ the superiority. to be better than one's word: to do more than one has promised. better cheap: see cheap n. no better than (one) should (or ought to) be, of doubtful moral character, (usu.) of easy virtue.
| 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. ccxv. 272 The marques..had the better hande. 1587 Whetstone Cens. loy. Subj. (Collier) 30 Q. Marie..had the better hand against her rebels. 1604 Pasquils Jests sig. C, A Man, whose wife was no better then she should be. 1684 T. Burnet Th. Earth II. 167 God may be better than His word. Mod. I have usually found him better than his word. 1764, 1780 [see shall v. 18]. 1815 C. Lamb Let. 28 Apr. (1935) II. 158 To term her a poor outcast seems as much as to say that poor Susan is no better than she should be. 1871 Trollope Eustace Diamonds (1873) I. xxiii. 305 He..almost believed that she was not now, and hadn't been before her marriage, any better than she should be. 1882 J. Morison Macaulay 105 They are all no better than they should be. 1904 A. Bennett Great Man xiii. 139 Her..suspicion that the self-styled Miss Foster was no better than she ought to be. 1937 A. L. Rowse Sir R. Grenville xix. 346 The one was a brute, and the other a vixen, and no better than she should be into the bargain. |
II. absol. passing into a substantive.
6. absol. Something better; that which is better. for better, for worse: see worse B. 3 a; to go (one) better: see go v. 36.
| 1535 Coverdale Heb. vi. 9 We trust to se better of you [Wyclif, We tristen of ȝou betere thingis]. 1594 Shakes. Rich. III, iii. v. 50, I never look'd for better at his hands. 1699 Dryden Fables Pref., If I have altered him any where for the better. 1879 Geo. Eliot Coll. Breakf. P. 485 A possible Better in the seeds of earth. ― Theo. Such ii. 51 They feed the ideal Better. |
7. n. with poss. pron.: One's superior: a. in some personal quality or attainment; b. in rank or station. In the latter sense, now only in the plural, which was however from 16th to 18th c. often applied to a single person.
| a. c 1325 Coer de L. 1650 In al Yngelond was non hys beter. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (1531) 88 To be instructe and taught of my better. 1594 Shakes. Rich. III, i. ii. 140 His better doth not breath vpon the earth. 1859 Tennyson Vivien 349 To help herself By striking at her better. |
| b. [c 1205 Lay. 3749 Heora sunen..þa weren hire beteren.] 1432–50 tr. Higden Rolls Ser. IV. 325 Ȝiffenge not contrarious wordes and answeres to their betters. c 1500 in Babees Bk. (1868) 25 When thi better spekes to the Do offe thi cape & bow þi kne. 1549 Bk. Com. Prayer Catech., To ordre myself lowely and reuerently to al my betters. 1600 Shakes. A.Y.L. ii. iv. 68 Cor. Who cals? Clo. Your betters Sir. 1712 Steele Spect. No. 266 ¶4 A Squire or a Gentleman, or one that was her Betters. 1742 Fielding J. Andrews iv. i, I look upon myself as his betters. 1866 Kingsley Herew. xiv. 182 She will grow as proud as her betters. |
8. the better: the superiority or mastery; now chiefly in to get the better of. Also fig. (Cf. best 9 a.)
| 1461 Paston Lett. 396 II. 21 The blyssyd Trinite..send yow the better of all your adversariis. 1586 Warner Alb. Eng. iii. xvii. 79 Little wanted that the Brutes the better did not win. 1630 M. Godwyn Annales Eng. 197 We alwayes came of with the better. 1660 Stanley Hist. Philos. (1701) 10/2 Sometimes the Medes had the better of the Lydians. 1675 Hobbes Odyssey viii. 320 The slow has gotten of the swift the better. 1718 Hickes & Nelson J. Kettlewell 55 App., The worst Causes are likely to have the better, at this way of Reasoning. 1839 Thirlwall Greece VI. xlviii. 137 Prudence..got the better of his pride. |
† 9. with the better: with addition; and more. Obs.
| 1601 Holland Pliny I. 163 When his father was 62 yeares old with the better. 1690 W. Walker Idiom. Anglo-Lat. 333 To pay what one hath borrowed with the better. |
B. adv.
[The original adverbial form was bet, which survived till c 1600. See that word as to its gradual displacement by better.]
1. In a more excellent way, in a superior manner.
| c 1240 Lofsong in Lamb. Hom. 215 Þu wult..don betere bi me þen is þet ich wilni. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 1585 Ðu salt ðe betre sped. c 1394 P. Pl. Crede 95 Fond to don betere. c 1400 Apol. Loll. 26 Mak hem to drede synne & to do bettar. 1530 Palsgr. 147, I drinke better than I syng. 1677 Moxon Mech. Exerc. (1703) 194 The better to come at it with the Tool. 1797 Ld. Nelson in Duncan Life (1806) 44 The sooner the better. Mod. Until he learns to behave better. |
2. a. In a superior degree.
| a 1225 St. Marher. 4 Aðet he hefde betere biþoht him. c 1230 Hali Meid. 37 Þat ha..witen þe beter hwat ham beo to don. a 1300 Cursor M. 2438 He loued hir..better þan he did are. c 1400 Destr. Troy xix. 8083 For to hold hym in hope, & hert hym the bettur. 1471 Paston Lett. 681 III. 23 That shall dysse avayll him better than a CC. marc. 1475 Caxton Jason 77 b, They had him better in grace than zethephius. 1577 B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. (1586) 65 Where-by it [sage] prospereth the better. 1666 Bunyan Grace Ab. ¶50, I better considering the matter. 1771 Junius Lett. lii. 266, I know that man much better than any of you. 1848 Macaulay Hist. Engl. I. 435 But there were in the palace a few persons who knew better. |
† b. Rather. Obs.
| c 1340 Cursor M. (Laud MS.) 9815 His hert ought bettyr breke in iij⊇ Then fro his byddynges to fle. 1475 Caxton Jason 17 b, He semed better a thing of that other worlde thenne an humayne persone. 1801 Southey Life (1850) II. 168 He..prefers books better than official papers. |
c. More, in addition. arch. and dial.
| 1538 Bale Thre Lawes 1351 He swore, and better swore, yea he did sweare and sweare agayne. 1830 James Darnley vii. 36/2 On this he wondered, and better wondered. |
3. In the predicate, after be, the adv. and adj. run together: see A 4. In some cases the adverbial character seems more prominent.
| 1570–87 Holinshed Scot. Chron. (1806) II. 75, I will here (being better late than never) set down this. |
4. a. to be better: to be improved in health, esp. of convalescence after an illness. (In northern use, to be well again, as in quite better, quite well again, fully recovered.) to get better: to amend, recover. (The orig. const. was ‘him is bet or better,’ i.e. it is better to or with him. See well.)
| c 1000 Ags. Gosp. John iv. 52 Ða acsode he, to hwylcum timan him bet wære. c 1160 Hatton G. ibid., Hym bet wære [Lindisf. & Rushw., þæt betre hæfde = Vulg. melius habuerit; 1382 Wyclif, He axide of hem the our, in which he hadde betere, 1388 was amended; 1611 began to amend.] 1686 J. Davies in R. Ward Life H. More (1710) 215 He had been let Blood, and seem'd after it much better than before. 1745 Shaftesbury in Lett. 1st Earl Malmesbury (1870) I. 9 Poor Handel looks something better. 1771 Johnson in Mrs. Piozzi's Lett. (1788) I. 42 Dr. Taylor is better, and is gone out in the chaise. 1863 T. Thompson Ann. Influenza 95 [He] was blooded and got better, went abroad got well. 1872 Geo. Eliot Middlem. (1875) 587 She is better this morning, and..she will be cheered by seeing you again. |
† b. to be the better: to be profited or advantaged. arch. and dial.
| 1619 J. Dyke Counterp. (1620) 37 What are we the better to know our disease? a 1620 ― Sel. Serm. (1640) 282 What is man the better for eating the Sacrament, if hee eate not Christ? Mod. Sc. What the better would you be, if you had it? |
5. Comb. With adjs. and pples.: usually (for syntactical clearness) written with a hyphen. a. With past and pres. pples. as compar. of well: as, better-advised, better-affected, better-balanced, better-behaved, better-born, better-considered, better-dressed, better-informed, better-regulated, better-seasoned, etc.; better-becoming, better-knowing, better-liking, better-looking; sometimes approaching the sense ‘more fully, more.’ b. In parasynthetic comb. formed on a n. with attribute; as, better-humoured, i.e. (better humour) + -ed; so better-natured, better-omened, better-principled, better-witted, etc.
| 1609 Newes in Shaks. C. Praise 87 And have parted better-wittied then they came. 1616 Surfl. & Markh. Countr. Farme 549 To resort to the better-knowing husbands. 1677 Govt. Venice 23 Such Gentlemen..as thereby become better-affected to the Venetian Nobility. 1680 Spir. Popery 48 A great, and better Principled Lady. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 142 For Empire he design'd Is better born. 1711 Shaftesbury Charac. I. 254 His better-humour'd and more agreeable successor. Ibid. I. 310 Growing better-natur'd, and enjoying more..the pleasures of society. 1792 Bentham Wks. (1843) X. 276 There was not a better-behaved young woman in the whole parish. 1818 Scott Rob Roy x, Neglecting the minor and better-balanced chances of the game. 1820 ― Abbot xxiii, To cumber our better-advised devotions. 1826 Syd. Smith Wks. (1859) II. 113 His awe of better-dressed men and better-taught men. 1827 Carlyle Misc. (1857) I. 2 Richter was much better-natured than Johnson. 1833 Marryat P. Simple (1863) 95, I was by far the better-looking chap of the two. 1854 Mrs. Gaskell North & S. v, To learn his change of opinion..from her better-informed child. 1856 Farmer's Mag. Nov. 431 A more matured and better-considered measure. 1860 Gen. P. Thompson Audi Alt. III. clxxi. 198 The move of a better-omened man. |
6. Phrases. to think better of: a. (a thing); to give it reconsideration with the result of deciding more wisely. b. (a person): to form a better opinion of him.
| 1607 Shakes. Cor. ii. iii. 15 To make us no better thought of, a little helpe will serve. 1752 Bp. Warburton Lett. Emin. Prel. (1809) 116, I resolved to be prepared for them (who, by the way, thought better of it). 1812 Examiner 21 Sept. 596/1 The enemy's General thought better of it,—beat a retreat. 1884 J. Hawthorne in Harper's Mag. Feb. 430/1 The..gentleman seems to have thought better of his contrariness. Mod. I think better of him for his present conduct. |
7. better off, comp. of well off: see off adv. 11. Also as adj. phr. and absol. as n.
| 1865 [see off adv. 11]. 1865 Mill Auguste Comte 167 The better-off classes. 1940 F. Kitchen Brother to Ox i. 15 The ‘better offs’ sat in the chairs. 1959 B. Wootton et al. Soc. Sci. & Soc. Path. 366 The better-off, or those who still have better-off standards, can deal with the unmarried mother and the illegitimate child more easily. |
▪ II. better, bettor, n.
(ˈbɛtə(r))
[f. bet v. + -er1. As in other cases where a general agent-noun becomes somewhat specific, the tendency is to spell with -or; cf. abettor.]
One who makes bets.
| 1609 B. Jonson Sil. Wom. i. i. (1616) 531 Able to giue 'hem the character of every bowler, or better [ed. 1640 bettor] o' the greene. 1628 Earle Microcosm. xlvii. 102 The betters are the factious noise of the alley, or the gamesters beadsmen that pray for them. 1711 Addison Spect. 126 ¶9 Notwithstanding he was a very fair Bettor, no Body would take him up. 1859 Sala Tw. round Clock (1861) 182 Like the honourable betters inside, and the thievish touts outside. 1878 H. Smart Play or Pay xi. 234 Some of the big bettors of the Turf. |
▪ III. better, v.
(ˈbɛtə(r))
[ME. bet(e)re(n:—OE. *bęt(e)rian (only ᵹebętrod is found) = OFris. beteria, Du. beteren, ON. betra, OHG. baȥirôn, beȥȥerôn, MHG. beȥȥern, mod.G. bessern:—OTeut. *batizojan, f. *batiz- better.]
1. trans. To make better; to improve, amend, ameliorate.
| [c 897 K. ælfred Past. Care 204 Þa scamfæstan bioð oft mid ᵹemetlicre lare ᵹebetrod.] 1384 Wyclif De Eccl. v. Sel. Wks. III. 349 Siþ þei witen not who is beterid by entryng into þes ordris. 1470–85 Malory Arthur ii. xvii, I did it to this entent that it sholde better thy courage. 1585 Abp. Sandys Serm. (1841) 95 Granted that some rites..might be bettered, or omitted. 1650 Gell Serm. 8 Aug. 48 He will improve and better the land he holds. 1711 J. Greenwood Eng. Gram. 10 As to our daily borrowing abundance of Words, I cannot think our Language is better'd by it. 1752 Hume Ess. & Treat. (1777) I. 283 It is difficult for labourers and artisans to better their condition. a 1850 Wordsw. Sonn. i. xxv, Love betters what is best, Even here below. 1869 Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) III. xiii. 311. |
b. To make morally better.
| 1587 Fleming Cont. Holinshed III. 1351/1 Are you not resolued to better your life? a 1593 H. Smith Wks. (1867) I. 486 If we will be bettered..by the word, we must be as new⁓born babes. 1641 Milton Ch. Govt. ii. Wks. (1851) 148 Instructing and bettering the Nation at all opportunities. 1849 Ruskin Sev. Lamps vii. §8. 194 We think too much..of bettering men by giving them advice and instruction. |
c. To make better in health; to make better off in worldly condition.
| 1581 W. Stafford Exam. Compl. iii. (1876) 91 Oure Townes myght be soone..farre bettered. 1611 Bible Mark v. 26 A certaine woman which..had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered. 1655 Gouge Comm. Heb. xiii. 5 So great hope of bettering himself. 1792 M. Wollstonecraft Rights Wom. iv. 164 Girls marry merely to ‘better themselves,’ to borrow a significant vulgar phrase. 1840 Marryat Poor Jack i, She left to better herself, and obtained the situation of nurse. |
† 2. intr. To be better, have the mastery. Obs.
| a 1300 E.E. Psalter xii. [xiii.] 5 Les when mi wither-win he sai, I betred againes him ai. Ibid. lxiv. [lxv.] 4 Wordes of wike bettred over us nou. |
3. trans. To do better than, surpass, excel.
| 1548 Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Pref. 15 Begrieued to see his thing bettered. 1593 Shakes. Rich. II, i. i. 22 Each day still better others happinesse! 1623 Cockeram iii. s.v. Isæan, Salmon, which is..not to be betterd in any part of the world. 1821 Keats Lamia 229 Jove heard his vows, and better'd his desire. 1848 Ruskin Mod. Paint. II. iii. xiv. §15. 114 It hardly betters the blocks..in barbers' windows. |
† 4. absol. To be better, to be an improvement.
| 1592 Warner Alb. Eng. viii. xxxviii. (1612) 189 It betters not to tarrie. |
5. intr. To grow better, improve. Cf. bettering vbl. n. 2.
| 1839 Carlyle Chartism ii. 116 The general condition of the poor must be bettering instead of worsening. 1883 R. Broughton Belinda II. ii. viii. 113 The day has bettered. |