better
adjective
uk/ˈbet.ər/us/ˈbet̬.ɚ/A1
comparative ofgood: of ahigherstandard, or moresuitable,pleasing, oreffectivethan other things orpeople:
较好的；更好的Hestoodnear thefrontto get a betterview.为了看得更清楚，他尽量靠前站。
Relations between the twocountrieshave never been better.两国的关系从来没有像现在这么好过。
It's much better to have asmall,cosyroomthanabig,coldone.拥有一间小而暖的房间要比拥有一间大而冷的房间好得多。
Thebookwas betterthanIexpected.这部电影比我预料的好。
She is much betterattennisthan I am.她网球打得比我好很多。
It isfar(= much)better tosavesome ofyourmoneythan tospendit all atonce.把钱存起来一些，总比一下子花完要好得多。
Freshvegetablesare betterforyou(= morebeneficialto you)thancannedones.新鲜蔬菜比罐装蔬菜对健康更有益。
Thelongeryoukeepthiswine,thebetter ittastes(= it has a betterflavourif youkeepit for alongtime).这种酒越陈越香。
Thebedwas hard, but it was betterthan nothing(= than not having abed).床有点硬，可有总比没有好。
A1
If you are or get better after anillnessorinjury, you arehealthyagain:
（伤病）好转的，康复的Ihopeyou get bettersoon.希望你早日康复。
get better
toimprove:
改善After theceasefire, thesituationin thecapitalgot better.停火以后，首都的局势有了好转。
- Thiscarisfarbetter thanouroldone.
- There's nothing better thanfreshbread,straightfrom theoven.
- If wesitnear thefrontof thebus, we'll have a betterview.
- Frenchcroissantsare so much better than theEnglishones.
- Her writing is better but there is stillroomforimprovement.
Good, better and best
- all is wellidiom
- at the best of timesidiom
- be the last word insomethingidiom
- better stillphrase
- burnished
- gold standard
- good
- high-quality
- knocksomethinginto a cocked hatidiom
- leavesomeone/somethingin the dustidiom
- milesidiom
- next-best
- second
- sound
- super good
- topper
- unsurpassed
- upyourgameidiom
- uplift
- well
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Recovering from illness
Idioms
be better than sex
better late than never
better luck next time
better safe than sorry
better the devil you know (than the devil you don't)
go one better
beno better than (a)something
better
adverb
uk/ˈbet.ər/us/ˈbet̬.ɚ/A2
in a moresuitable,pleasing, orsatisfactoryway, or to agreaterdegree:
更好地；较好地The nexttimehe took thetest, he was betterprepared.第二次考试，他准备得更充分。
They did much better(= were moresuccessful)in the secondhalfof thegame.比赛的下半场他们的表现要出色得多。
Ilikethisjacketmuch better than(= Ipreferit to)the other one.比起另一件夹克，我喜欢这件得多。
Sheknowsher way around thecollegebetterthanI do.她比我更清楚学院附近的路。
to agreaterdegree, when used as thecomparativeofadjectivesbeginningwith "good" or "well":
（表示以 good 或 well 开头的形容词的比较级）更，更大程度地She is better-looking(= moreattractive)than herbrother.她比哥哥长得好看。
He is much betterknownfor hispoetrythan hissongwriting.他作的诗比他写的歌更出名。
better still(alsoeven better)
used to say that aparticularchoicewould be moresatisfactory:
干脆，何不Why don't you give her acallor, better still, go andseeher?你为何不打个电话给她，或者干脆亲自去找她？
someonehad betterdo something
A2
used to giveadviceor to make athreat:
（某人）最好做…You'd better(= you should)gohomenow before therainstarts.你最好在下雨之前赶回家。
He'd betterpayme back thatmoneyheowesmesoon,orelse.他最好赶快把欠我的那笔钱还给我，否则我就对他不客气。
It's late - we'd better get going.
You'd betterwarnher not to be late.
You'd better not belyingto me!
- It's alongday- you'd better take somefoodwith you.
- There's a lot to do so we'd better make astart.
- He'd better make abitmoreeffortthistime.
someonewould do betterUK
it would bewiser:
（某人）做…更明智You would do bettertobringtheplantsinside when theweathergetscolder.天气转冷时，你最好把盆栽植物搬进屋里。
- Stand over there and then you'll beabletoseeit better.
- This newmicroscopeperformsbetter than all ofitscompetitors.
- I likesimplefoodbetter thanfancydishes.
- If you'd taken moretimeover thisessay, you could have done it much better.
- Manycompaniesstilltreattheirmanagementstaffbetter thantheirworkers.
Good, better and best
- all is wellidiom
- at the best of timesidiom
- be the last word insomethingidiom
- better stillphrase
- burnished
- gold standard
- good
- high-quality
- knocksomethinginto a cocked hatidiom
- leavesomeone/somethingin the dustidiom
- milesidiom
- next-best
- second
- sound
- super good
- topper
- unsurpassed
- upyourgameidiom
- uplift
- well
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Giving advice
Dangers and threats
Grammar
Had better
We use had better to refer to the present or the future, to talk about actions we think people should do or which are desirable in a specific situation. The verb form is always had, not have. We normally shorten it to ’d better in informal situations. It is followed by the infinitive without to:…Had better: form and meaning
We use had better to refer to the present or the future, to talk about actions we think people should do or which are desirable in a specific situation. The verb form is always had, not have. We normally shorten it to ’d better in informal situations. It is followed by the infinitive without to:…Had better: negative and question forms
The negative of had better is had better not (or ’d better not):…Had betterorbe better,be best?
We use had better to give advice in a specific situation. We use the phrase be better or be best + to-infinitive for more general suggestions:…Had betterorwould rather,would prefer?
We don’t use had better when we talk about preferences. We use would rather or would prefer.…Had better: typical errors
We use had better to give specific advice, not to talk about obligations or requirements; instead, we use have to, have got to or must:…better
noun
uk/ˈbet.ər/us/ˈbet̬.ɚ/[U]
something that is of ahigherstandardthan somethingelse:
更好的事物；较好者Heranthe 100metresin 9.91seconds, and I have notseenbetter(= afasterresult)thisyear.他100米跑了9.91秒，我今年没有见过比这更好的成绩。
[U]
behaviour,work, ortreatmentthat is moresuitable,pleasing, orsatisfactory:
更合适的举止；较令人满意的工作；更好的待遇You shouldn't be someantoyourmother- shedeservesbetter.你不应该对你妈妈如此刻薄——她理应得到更好的对待。
I didn'tthinkhe would go out withouttellingme - Iexpectedbetterofhim.我原以为他不会不跟我说一声就出去的——我对他期望过高了。
betters[plural]old-fashioned
peopleof ahigherrankorsocialpositionthan you:
较优者；上司Aschildren, we weretaughtnot toarguewithoureldersandbetters.从小大人就教导我们不能与长辈和上级争吵。
Surpassing in quality or number
- catch
- catch(someone)up
- compare
- crown
- crush
- dosomethingfor an encoreidiom
- eclipse
- encore
- outcompete
- outdo
- outflank
- outgo
- outman
- push the envelopeidiom
- put/leavesomeonein the shadeidiom
- shade
- shame
- steal a march onsomeoneidiom
- stealsomeone'sthunderidiom
- surpass
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Good, better and best
Idioms
for better or (for) worse
for the better
get the better ofsomeone
so much the better
better
verb[T]
uk/ˈbet.ər/us/ˈbet̬.ɚ/toimproveasituation:
改善；改进Theorganizationwasestablishedto betterconditionsfor thedisabled.这一组织是为改善残疾人的生活条件而建立的。
betteryourself
toimproveyoursocialposition, often by getting a betterjoboreducation:
Hetriedto better himself by takingeveningclasses.
Making things better
- add salt tosomethingidiom
- allay
- alleviate
- alleviation
- ameliorate
- cultivate
- leavening
- liven(something)up
- lubricate
- make a differenceidiom
- make a world of differenceidiom
- remedial
- revamp
- revitalize
- revivify
- revolutionize
- salvage
- salve
- sharpen
- tonic