better
adj
adv
noun
verb
ˈbetə adj
1
Better
more useful, interesting, satisfactory, effective, suitable etc is a comparative form. Do not say ‘more better’. better 是比较级，不要说 more better。 comparative of good good 的比较级
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好的了解。
better still/even better
It was even better than last year.
这甚至比去年更好。
2 a. more healthy or less ill or painful than before b. completely well again after an illness 痊癒的，康复的 comparative of well well 的比较级
She is a little better today, the doctor says.
医生说她今天有所好转。
I’m feeling much better , thank you.
我觉得好多了，谢谢你。
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。
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 最好是〔用于表明自己的看法或表示提议〕
it is better to do sth
It’s much better to get a proper written agreement.
最好是取得一份正规的书面协议。
[+ if ]
It might be better if you stayed here.
你留在这里也许最好。
4
get better
to 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。
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 b. used to say that something is the best 没有更好的
The following day the weather was no better.
第二天的天气还是不好。
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 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
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久久地散步。
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。
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
used to say that something has improved, that you are happier or more comfortable, or to encourage someone [口] 这样好一些，这就对了〔用以表示高兴、舒服或鼓励某人〕 spoken
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?’
“你能把音量开小一些吗？”“这样好些吗？”
8
better late than never
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 [口] 晚做总比不做好; 迟来总比不来强 spoken
adv
9 to a higher standard or quality 更好地;
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.
你给自行車上点油就会更好骑。
10 to a higher degree 更，更加; 更多地;
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工作。
11
had better had ’d had ’d
a. used to give advice about what someone should do or to say what you should do or need to do b. used to threaten someone In speech, people usually shorten to , and may not pronounce it at all. But do not leave out or in writing. 口语里一般将 had 缩略成 ’d，可能不发音，但书写的时候不要省略 had 或 ’d
I’d better go and get ready.
我最好去准备准备。
I think you’d better ask Jo first.
我想你最好先问问乔。
Better just check she’s okay.
最好去看看她情况好不好。
You had better not tell Oliver (=it is not a good idea) .
你最好不要告诉奥利弗。
You’d better keep your mouth shut about this.
这事你最好闭嘴。
You’d better come here (NOT 不说 You better) !
你最好过来！
12
do better
to 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。
You can do better than that!
你还可以做得更好！
13
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 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.
周末学校就放假了，对我来说放得越早越好。
The younger you start learning a language, the better you’ll speak it.
开始学语言年龄越小说得越好。
14
go one better (than sb)
to do something more successfully than someone else [非正式] （比某人）做得更好 informal
The following year Lewis went one better by winning the gold medal.
第二年，刘易斯做得更加出色，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，把整个花园重新设计一下。
noun
15
the better
the 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。
16
get the better of sb
a. if your feelings or wishes get the better of you, they make you behave in a way you would not normally behave b. to defeat someone or deal successfully with a problem 战胜〔某人〕; 成功地解决〔问题〕
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。
17
for the better
in 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。
18
so much the better
used 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。
19
be all the better for sth
to be improved by a particular action, change etc 因…反而愈好
I think it’s all the better for that extra ten minutes’ cooking.
我觉得多煮十分钟好多了。
20
for better or (for) worse
used 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。
21
your betters
people who are more important than you or deserve more respect [过时] 上司; 比自己地位高的人 old-fashioned
verb
22 to 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。
23
better yourself
to improve your position in society by getting a better education or earning more money 提高自己的社会地位
24 to improve something [正式] 改善，改进 formal
bettering the lot of the working classes
改善工人阶级的命运