• IPA: /ˈbɛst/

1. superlative form of good.

   I can either be your best friend or your worst enemy.

   • c. 1596–1598, William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act I, scene ii], page 163 ↗, column 1:

     {...}} when he is beſt, he is a little worſe then a man, and when he is worſt, he is little better than a beaſt:

   • 1667, John Milton, “Book V ↗”, in Paradise Lost. A Poem Written in Ten Books, London: Printed [by Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […] [a]nd by Robert Boulter […] [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], OCLC 228722708 ↗; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: The Text Exactly Reproduced from the First Edition of 1667: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, OCLC 230729554 ↗, line 19:

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

2. Most; largest.

   Unpacking took the best part of a week.

3. Most superior; most favorable.

   In my opinion, mushrooms are the best pizza toppings.

• baddest (nonstandard)
• worst

• French: (+ le) meilleur
• German: (+ der, die, das) beste, bester
• Italian: il migliore
• Portuguese: melhor
• Russian: лу́чший
• Spanish: mejor

1. superlative form of well
   • 1667, John Milton, “Book IX ↗”, in Paradise Lost. A Poem Written in Ten Books, London: Printed [by Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […] [a]nd by Robert Boulter […] [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], OCLC 228722708 ↗; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: The Text Exactly Reproduced from the First Edition of 1667: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, OCLC 230729554 ↗, lines 867–869:

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

   • 1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […]”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: Printed by J. M[acock] for John Starkey […], OCLC 228732398 ↗, line 1072, [https://archive.org/stream/paradiseregaindp00milt_0#page/{page}/mode/1up page 65]:

     But had we beſt retire, I ſee a ſtorm?

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

   • 1907, Robert William Chambers, chapter VIII, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, OCLC 24962326 ↗:

     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.

2. To the most advantage; with the most success, cause, profit, benefit, or propriety.

   • Had I not best go to her?

3. (colloquial shortening) Had best.

   It's getting late. You best get on home.

• French: (+ le) mieux
• German: am besten
• Portuguese: melhor
• Russian: лу́чше всё
• Spanish: mejor

best

1. (uncountable) The supreme effort one can make, or has made.

   I did my best.

   My personal best in that race is eighteen minutes, four seconds.

2. (uncountable) One's best behavior.

   I was somewhat distant lately, and my lady promised me head every Tuesday of the week when I'm nice to her, so I better be on my best.

3. (countable) The person (or persons; or thing or things) that is (are) most excellent.
   • 1994, Otis L. Guernsey and Jeffrey Sweet, The Best Plays of 1993-1994, page vii ↗:

     Mel Gussow reviews the bests of off off Broadway

   • 1995 October, Cincinnati Magazine, :

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

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

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

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

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

• French: mieux
• German: Bestes
• Russian: всё возмо́жное

• French: élite, fleur, crème, dessus du panier, meilleur
• German: Bester, Beste
• Italian: migliore
• Portuguese: melhor
• Russian: лу́чший
• Spanish: élite, flor, nata

best (bests, present participle besting; past and past participle bested)

1. To surpass in skill or achievement.
2. (transitive) To beat in a contest

• worst

• French: battre, vaincre, surpasser, enfoncer, écraser, aplatir, dominer, défaire
• German: übertreffen
• Italian: superare, dominare, vincere, battere
• Russian: превзойти́
• Spanish: sobrepasar, superar, vencer, rebasar, derrotar, aventajar

• better
• bestest

• IPA: /bɛst/

1. Surname