better

Meanings

Adjective

• Comparative form or more of good
• Comparative form or more of well
• Greater in amount or quantity

Adverb

• Comparative form or more of well
• Greater or lesser (whichever is seen as more advantageous), in reference to value, distance, time, etc.
• Had better.

Noun

• An entity, usually animate, deemed superior to another; one who has a claim to precedence; a superior.
• Alternate spelling of bettor

Verb

• Had better.
• To improve.
• To become better; to improve.
• To surpass in excellence; to exceed; to excel.
• To give advantage to; to support; to advance the interest of.

Origin

• From Middle English better, bettre, betre, from Old English betera ("better"), from Proto-Germanic *batizô ("better"), from Proto-Indo-European, from *bʰed-. Cognate with Sanskrit भद्र ("blessed, fortunate, happy, good"). For Germanic cognates: see *batizô. Related to best and battle. Compare also Icelandic batna ("to improve"), bót, German besser. More at batten, boot.
• Shortening of had better ('d better)
• From Middle English beteren, from Old English beterian, betrian, from Proto-Germanic *batizōną. Cognate with West Frisian betterje, Dutch beteren, German bessern, Danish bedre, Swedish bättra.
• Alternate spelling of bettor or modern formation from the verb to bet.