• (non-rhotic accents) IPA: /ˈbɛtə/
  • (RP) IPA: [ˈbɛtʰə]
  • (AU, New Zealand) IPA: [ˈbeɾə]
  • (Cockney, As well as other dialects in the UK) IPA: [ˈbeʔə]
• (rhotic accents) IPA: /ˈbɛtəɹ/
  • (GA, Canada) IPA: [ˈbɛɾɚ]
  • (Ireland) IPA: [ˈbɛtʰɚ~ˈbɛθ̠ɚ~ˈbɛt̪ɚ]
  • (Scotland) IPA: [ˈbɛʔɚ~ˈbɛʔəɾ]
• (America)

1. comparative form of good
2. comparative form of well
3. Greater in amount or quantity
   • 1972, Harvey Andrews, Hey Sandy

     “The air was still with the lonely thrill of 'now the hour is near' / And the smell of sweat was better yet than the awful stench of fear.”

• French: meilleur
• German: besser
• Italian: migliore, meglio
• Portuguese: melhor
• Russian: лу́чше
• Spanish: mejor

1. comparative form of well

   The engine runs better now that I've given it some oil.

   • c. 1603, William Shakespeare, Othello, Act I scene iii:

     I could never better stead thee than now. […]

   • 1901, Louis Couperus, Alexander Teixeira de Mattos (translator), Small Souls,

     “I’ve had enough of cycling with you chaps. I can spend my Sundays better than in tormenting cats and quarrelling and fighting.”

2. More, in reference to value, distance, time, etc.

   ten miles and better

3. (colloquial shortening) Had better.

   You better do that if you know what's good for you.

• French: mieux
• German: besser
• Italian: meglio
• Portuguese: melhor
• Russian: лу́чше
• Spanish: mejor, mejores

better (plural betters)

1. An entity, usually animate, deemed superior to another; one who has a claim to precedence; a superior.

   He quickly found Ali his better in the ring.

   • Their betters would hardly be found.

better (betters, present participle bettering; past and past participle bettered)

1. (transitive) To improve.

   • Love betters what is best.

   • He thought to better his circumstances.

   • 18, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter 3, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify ), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, OCLC 1069526323 ↗:

2. (intransitive) To become better; to improve.
3. (transitive) To surpass in excellence; to exceed; to excel.

   • The works of nature do always aim at that which can not be bettered.

4. (transitive) To give advantage to; to support; to advance the interest of.
   • 1667, John Milton, “Book 6”, 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 ↗:

     Weapons more violent, when next we meet, / May serve to better us and worse our foes.

5. (colloquial) clipping en

• See also Thesaurus:improve

• French: améliorer
• German: verbessern
• Italian: migliorare
• Portuguese: melhorar
• Russian: улучша́ть
• Spanish: mejorar

• Russian: улучша́ться

• Russian: превосходи́ть

better (plural betters)

1. Alternative spelling of bettor