better

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++

Related topics: Illness & disability

bet·ter1 /ˈbetə $ -ər/ ●●● S1 W1 adjective  1  [comparative of good]BETTER more useful, interesting, satisfactory, effective, suitable etc 更好的，较好的 OPP worse Your stereo is better than mine. 你的音响比我的好。 There must be a better way to do this. 一定还有更好的办法来做这件事。 a better-quality car 质量更好的汽车much/a lot/far better We now have a much better understanding of the disease. 现在我们对这种疾病有了更深的了解。better still/even better It was even better than last year. 这甚至比去年更好。 ► Better is a comparative form. Don’t say ‘more better’.Better 是比较级。不要说 ‘more better’。2  [comparative of well] a) BETTERmore healthy or less ill or painful than before 〔健康状况〕好转的；〔疼痛、伤势等〕减轻的 OPP worse She is a little better today, the doctor says. 医生说她今天有些好转。 I’m feeling much better, thank you. 我觉得好多了，谢谢你。 b) MIHEALTHYcompletely well again after an illness 痊愈的，康复的 When you’re better we can see about planning a trip. 等你病好了，我们可以计划去旅行。 I hope he gets better (=recovers from an illness) soon. 我希望他早日康复。► see thesaurus at healthy3  it is better/it would be better used to give your opinion or make a suggestion about what you think should be done or happen 最好是〔用于表明自己的看法或提出建议〕it is better to do something It’s much better to get a proper written agreement. 最好是取得一份正规的书面协议。it is better/it would be better if It might be better if you stayed here. 你留在这里也许比较好。4  get better IMPROVEto improve 改善，变好，进步 Her English isn’t really getting any better. 她的英语其实没什么进步。5 You can do better than that!你还可以做得更好！ Things can only get better. 情况只会越来越好。5  no better a) not better than something else or something before 一样不好，不比别的好 The following day the weather was no better. 第二天的天气还是不好。 b) used to say that something is the best 没有更好的there is no better way/example/place etc There’s no better way of exploring the region. 这是考察那个地区的最好办法。6  nothing better a) used to say that you really like something or think that something is very good 什么都比不上，莫过于like/love/enjoy nothing better (than) She likes nothing better than a nice long walk along the beach. 她最喜欢的莫过于在沙滩上好好地散个步。 There’s nothing better than beating someone who’s playing well. 没有什么比打败高手更畅快的了。 b) used to say that a thing or situation is not very good, but is the only thing possible or available 没有更好的have nothing better to do Have you got nothing better to do than sit there playing that silly game? 你光坐着玩那个破游戏，就找不到更好的事情来做吗？ I only picked it up because there was nothing better to read. 没有别的好书，我就捡了这本来看。7  that’s better spoken used to say that something has improved, that you are happier or more comfortable, or to encourage someone 这样好一些，这就对了〔用以表示高兴、舒服或鼓励某人〕 Ah, that’s better. I needed to sit down. 啊，现在好多了，我需要坐下来。 ‘Can you turn it down?’ ‘Is that better?’ “你能把音量调小一些吗？”“这样好些吗？”8. better late than never spoken used to say that it is better for someone or something to be late than never to arrive or happen at all 晚做总比不做好；迟到总比不到好 → your better half/other half at half2(8), → the best/better part of something at part1(9), → against your better judgment at judgment(1), → somebody’s better nature at nature(2), → better luck next time at luck1(14), → better the devil you know at devil(11), → have seen better days at see1(29) THESAURUSbetter the comparative of good 更好的，较好的〔good的比较级〕She wants a better job. 她想要一份更好的工作。The sales figures were far better than expected. 销售数字远远高于预期。nLucy’s better at French than I am.superior better, especially in quality 〔尤指质量〕更佳的，更优的German cars are far superior. 德国汽车好得多。a superior product 优质产品He thinks men are superior to women. 他认为男人比女人优秀。preferable formal more suitable or useful – used when saying which one you prefer 更合适的，更可取的〔用于选择〕Cash would be preferable. 最好是付现金。nAnything would be preferable to the system we have now. be an improvement on something to be better than something that existed before 对某事物的改进The engine is a huge improvement on previous diesel engines. 这种引擎比先前的柴油引擎有了很大改进。have the edge to be slightly better than another person or thing – used especially when saying which one will win in a game or competition 具有优势，略胜一筹〔尤用于比赛或竞争中〕Federer is likely to have the edge in Sunday’s game. 星期日的比赛费德勒的赢面更大。For me, this film has the edge over the others. 我觉得这部影片比其他影片好。be miles ahead (of somebody/something) (also be streets ahead (of somebody/something) British English) informal to be very much better than someone or something that you are competing against （比某人/某物）要好得多〔用于比较竞争对手〕The company is streets ahead of its rivals. 这家公司远远领先于其竞争对手。there’s no comparison spoken used to emphasize that one person or thing is clearly much better than someone or something else 那是不能比的〔强调某人或某物明显优于其他人或物〕There’s no comparison between the two teams. 这两个队根本就无法相提并论。n‘Which apartment do you prefer?’ ‘Well, there’s no comparison. The first one we saw is bigger, quieter, and has much nicer furniture.’

Examples from the Corpus

better• Angie spent last week painting her bedroom -- it looks much better.• We could either go to Florida or California -- which do you think is better?• Your Spanish is definitely getting better.• I don't think you should go swimming until you're better.• Lucy's better at mathematics than I am.• She bought a better car.• You'll get a better deal from a mail-order company.• He turned down what any of his peers would have called a much better deal today.• Still, he is impressive as the surly, enigmatic intellectual who offers Jane a glimmer of hope for a better life.• Women are little better, only weaker in carrying out their ill intentions.• Caffeine received no better press in the twentieth century.• Consumers are demanding lower prices, better quality, and a larger selection of goods.• My sister is a better student than me.• His latest novel is far better than anything he's written before.• Your job is better than mine.• Tell the students that you are going to conduct an activity to find out if two ears are better than one.• She's a little better than she was yesterday.• The sales figures were better than we expected.• People's general health is a lot better these days than it used to be.• Here, this one is better - try it.much/a lot/far better• We certainly felt a lot better.• I feel a lot better about things.• Planted in the garden and potted with cactuses, they have found a far better home their second time around.• But otherwise it really helped the child focus and do a lot better in school.• There-I feel a lot better now.• I do go for designer clothes most of the time, because they last longer and are a far better quality.• But frankly when people marry it's often a far better thing if they don't love each other.• Magnus has a far better time than I do.feeling ... better• He offered to stop some one, but I was feeling a bit better.• She stalked off to her trailer, but he could see by her walk that she was feeling better.• You leave the theater feeling better about everything.• We had a very happy, relaxed time, and came home feeling much better for the rest and change.• When you've faced a serious illness, feeling better is the best feeling there is in the world.better2 ●●● S1 W1 adverb [comparative of well]  1  BETTERto a higher standard or quality 更好地 OPP worse He can speak French a lot better than I can. 他法语讲得比我好多了。 Your bike will run better if you oil it. 你给自行车上点油就会更好骑。 → fare better at fare22  BETTERto a higher degree 更，更加；更多地 SYN more She knows this town better than you do. 她比你更了解这个城镇。 I think I like the red one better. 我想我比较喜欢那个红的。 Potter is better known for his TV work. 波特更出名的是他的电视作品。3  had better a) ADVISEused to give advice about what someone should do, or to say what you should do or need to do 最好，还是…好〔用于提议或表示自己应该做什么〕 I’d better go and get ready. 我还是去准备一下好。 I think you’d better ask Jo first. 我想你最好先问问乔。 You had better not tell Oliver (=it is not a good idea). 你最好不要告诉奥利佛。 b) THREATENused to threaten someone 最好〔用于威胁某人〕 You’d better keep your mouth shut about this. 这事你最好闭嘴。 ► In speech, people usually shorten had to ’d, and may not pronounce it at all. But do not leave out had or ’d in writing: You’d better (NOT You better) come here!口语中一般将 had 缩略成 ’d, 也可能略去不读，但书写的时候不要省略 had 或 ’d : You’d better (不是 You better) come here! 你最好过来！4  do better BETTERto perform better or reach a higher standard 做得更好 We did better than all the other schools. 我们的成绩比其他学校都好。5  the sooner the better/the bigger the better etc PREFERused to emphasize that you would prefer something to happen as soon as possible, want something to be as big as possible etc 越快越好/越大越好等 School finishes at the end of the week, and the sooner the better as far as I’m concerned. 这个星期结束学校就放假了，对我来说放得越早越好。 The younger you start learning a language, the better you’ll speak it. 语言学得越早说得越好。6  go one better (than somebody) informalSUCCESSFUL to do something more successfully than someone else （比某人）做得更好 The following year Lewis went one better by winning the gold medal. 第二年，刘易斯表现更加出色，赢得了金牌。 Of course, they had to go one better and have the whole garden redesigned. 当然，他们得做得更好，把整个花园重新进行设计。 → better off

Examples from the Corpus

better• I liked his last movie better.• This country's people are wealthier, healthier, and better educated than ever before.• Hospitals are much better equipped now.• You can see much better from up here.• I thought we played much better in the third period.• Vidal is better known as a novelist.• Apparently the networks-feeling that minorities were better served elsewhere-decided they themselves had no obligation to show minority faces.• The car is running much better since I put in new spark plugs.• Ralph would be able to explain this a lot better than I can.• Relief agencies are hoping to cope better with the famine than they did in 1990.better known• The little-known cast is unlikely to become better known.• Some of these statutes were brought forward, like the better known acts of state, by the Crown.• Gutierrez, better known as Alberto Korda, is delighted his photograph has inspired socialist revolutionaries for more than three decades.• His manner is both warm and friendly, with not a hint of the pretentiousness of some of his better known colleagues.• But La Paca was better known for her claim to a higher, unearthly power.• Cochran is by far the better known of the two.• No believer in so-called reportorial objectivity, he has also become far better known than most of his subjects.better3 ●●○ noun  1  the better BETTERthe one that is higher in quality, more suitable etc when you are comparing two similar people or things 更好的人[事物] It’s hard to decide which one’s the better. 很难确定哪一个更好。2  get the better of somebody a) DO something/TAKE ACTIONif your feelings or wishes get the better of you, they make you behave in a way you would not normally behave 〔情感或愿望〕盖过，超越 My curiosity finally got the better of me and I opened the letter. 最终我还是按捺不住好奇心，打开了信。 I think her nerves got the better of her. 我想她是太紧张了。 b) BEAT/DEFEATto defeat someone or deal successfully with a problem 战胜〔某人〕；成功地解决〔问题〕3  for the better IMPROVEin a way that improves the situation 有所好转 a definite change for the better 明显的好转 The president’s fortunes seem, at last, to have taken a turn for the better (=started to improve). 总统的时运似乎终于出现转机了。4  so much the better BETTERused to say that something would be even better or bring even more advantages 这样更好 If they can do them both at the same time, then so much the better. 如果他们可以同时做这两件事情，那当然更好。5  be all the better for something IMPROVEto be improved by a particular action, change etc 因为…而更好 I think it’s all the better for that extra ten minutes’ cooking. 我觉得多煮十分钟好多了。6  for better or (for) worse ACCEPTused to say that something must be accepted, whether it is good or bad, because it cannot be changed 不管是好是歹 Work is, for better or worse, becoming more flexible nowadays. 不管是福是祸，现在的工作变得越来越有弹性了。7. your betters ADMIRE old-fashioned people who are more important than you or deserve more respect 上司；比自己地位高的人 → worse3, → elders and betters at elder2(2)

Examples from the Corpus

better• Bored in the isolation of his taxi, curiosity and perhaps hunger got the better of him.• On many other issues where he and Mr Bush differ we similarly believe Mr Gore has the better of the argument.better4 verb [transitive]  1  BETTERto be higher in quality, amount etc than someone or something else 〔在质量、数量等方面〕胜过，超过，优于 His total of five gold medals is unlikely to be bettered. 他一共获得五块金牌，这不大可能被人超越。2. better yourself IMPROVEto improve your position in society by getting a better education or earning more money 提高自己的社会地位3  formalIMPROVE to improve something 改善，改进 bettering the lot of the working classes 改善工人阶级的命运→ See Verb table

Examples from the Corpus

better• In my view nothing betters a good ferret box.• Rockefeller believed society could be bettered by public spending and public architecture.• new laws aimed at bettering economic conditions• I think you can always better programs.Origin better1 Old English betera

bet·ter1 adjective →THESAURUS1better2 adverbbetter3 nounbetter4 verbLDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable  

suitable interesting, etc Corpus useful, more effective, satisfactory,

better

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++better1  → comparative of good at good2  → comparative of well at well

better  

better

I

bet‧ter¹ S1 W1 /ˈbetə $ -ər/ adjective1. [comparative of good] more useful, interesting, satisfactory, effective, suitable etc
   OPP  worse:
    Your stereo is better than mine.
    There must be a better way to do this.
    a better-quality car
    much/a lot/far better
    We now have a much better understanding of the disease.
    better still/even better
    It was even better than last year.
  ► Better is a comparative form. Do not say ‘more better’.
2. [comparative of well]
  a. more healthy or less ill or painful than before
   OPP  worse:
    She is a little better today, the doctor says.
    I’m feeling much better, thank you.
  b. completely well again after an illness:
    When you’re better we can see about planning a trip.
    I hope he gets better (=recovers from an illness) soon.
3. it is better/it would be better used to give your opinion or make a suggestion about what you think should be done or happen
    it is better to do something
    It’s much better to get a proper written agreement.
    it is better/it would be better if
    It might be better if you stayed here.
4. get better to improve:
    Her English isn’t really getting any better.
    Things can only get better.
5. no better
  a. not better than something else or something before:
    The following day the weather was no better.
  b. used to say that something is the best
    there is no better way/example/place etc
    There’s no better way of exploring the region.
6. nothing better
  a. used to say that you really like something or think that something is very good
    like/love/enjoy nothing better (than)
    She likes nothing better than a nice long walk along the beach.
    There’s nothing better than beating someone who’s playing well.
  b. used to say that a thing or situation is not very good, but is the only thing possible or available
    have nothing better to do
    Have you got nothing better to do than sit there playing that silly game?
    I only picked it up because there was nothing better to read.
7. that’s better spoken used to say that something has improved, that you are happier or more comfortable, or to encourage someone:
    Ah, that’s better. I needed to sit down.
    ‘Can you turn it down?’ ‘Is that better?’
8. better late than never spoken used to say that even if something happens late or someone arrives late, this is better than it not happening or their not arriving at all
⇨ your better half/other half at half²(8), ⇨ the best/better part of something at part¹(9), ⇨ against your better judgment at judgment(1), ⇨ sb’s better nature at nature(2), ⇨ better luck next time at luck¹(14), ⇨ better the devil you know at devil(11), ⇨ have seen better days at see¹(30)
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ better the comparative of good: She wants a better job. | The sales figures were far better than expected. | Lucy’s better at French than I am.
   ▪ superior better, especially in quality: German cars are far superior. | a superior product | He thinks men are superior to women.
   ▪ preferable formal more suitable or useful – used when saying which one you prefer: Cash would be preferable. | Anything would be preferable to the system we have now.
   ▪ be an improvement on something to be better than something that existed before: The engine is a huge improvement on previous diesel engines.
   ▪ have the edge to be slightly better than another person or thing – used especially when saying which one will win in a game or competition: Federer is likely to have the edge in Sunday’s game. | For me, this film has the edge over the others.
   ▪ be miles ahead (of somebody/something) (also be streets ahead (of somebody/something) British English) informal to be very much better than someone or something that you are competing against: The company is streets ahead of its rivals.
   ▪ there’s no comparison spoken used to emphasize that one person or thing is clearly much better than someone or something else: There’s no comparison between the two teams. | ‘Which apartment do you prefer?' 'Well, there’s no comparison. The first one we saw is bigger, quieter, and has much nicer furniture.'

II

better² S1 W1 adverb [comparative of well]
1. to a higher standard or quality
   OPP  worse:
    He can speak French a lot better than I can.
    Your bike will run better if you oil it. ⇨ fare better at fare²
2. to a higher degree
   SYN  more:
    She knows this town better than you do.
    I think I like the red one better.
    Potter is better known for his TV work.
3. had better
  a. used to give advice about what someone should do, or to say what you should do or need to do:
    I’d better go and get ready.
    I think you’d better ask Jo first.
    You had better not tell Oliver (=it is not a good idea).
  b. used to threaten someone:
    You’d better keep your mouth shut about this.
  ► In speech, people usually shorten had to ‘d, and may not pronounce it at all. But do not leave out had or ’d in writing: You’d better (NOT You better) come here!
4. do better to perform better or reach a higher standard:
    We did better than all the other schools.
    You can do better than that!
5. the sooner the better/the bigger the better etc used to emphasize that you would prefer something to happen as soon as possible, want something to be as big as possible etc:
    School finishes at the end of the week, and the sooner the better as far as I’m concerned.
    The younger you start learning a language, the better you’ll speak it.
6. go one better (than somebody) informal to do something more successfully than someone else:
    The following year Lewis went one better by winning the gold medal.
    Of course, they had to go one better and have the whole garden redesigned.
⇨ better off

III

better³ noun
1. the better the one that is higher in quality, more suitable etc when you are comparing two similar people or things:
    It’s hard to decide which one’s the better.
2. get the better of somebody
  a. if your feelings or wishes get the better of you, they make you behave in a way you would not normally behave:
    My curiosity finally got the better of me and I opened the letter.
    I think her nerves got the better of her.
  b. to defeat someone or deal successfully with a problem
3. for the better in a way that improves the situation:
    a definite change for the better
    The president’s fortunes seem, at last, to have taken a turn for the better (=started to improve).
4. so much the better used to say that something would be even better or bring even more advantages:
    If they can do them both at the same time, then so much the better.
5. be all the better for something to be improved by a particular action, change etc:
    I think it’s all the better for that extra ten minutes’ cooking.
6. for better or (for) worse used to say that something must be accepted, whether it is good or bad, because it cannot be changed:
    Work is, for better or worse, becoming more flexible nowadays.
7. your betters old-fashioned people who are more important than you or deserve more respect
⇨ worse², ⇨ elders and betters at elder²(2)

IV

better⁴ verb [transitive]
1. to be higher in quality, amount etc than someone or something else:
    His total of five gold medals is unlikely to be bettered.
2. better yourself to improve your position in society by getting a better education or earning more money
3. formal to improve something:
    bettering the lot of the working classes