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| adj. Comparative of good. 1. Greater in excellence or higher in quality: Which of the twins is the better skater? 2. More useful, suitable, or desirable: found a better way to go; a suit with a better fit than that one. 3. More highly skilled or adept: I am better at math than English. 4. Greater or larger: argued for the better part of an hour. 5. More advantageous or favorable; improved: a better chance of success. 6. Healthier, more fit, or in less discomfort than before: The patient is better today. adv. Comparative of well2. 1. In a more excellent way: He sings better than his father. 2. a. To a greater extent or degree: better suited to the job; likes it better without sauce. 3. More: It took me better than a year to recover. n. 1. One that is greater in excellence or higher in quality. 2. often betters A superior, as in standing, competence, or intelligence: to learn from one's betters. v. bet·tered, bet·ter·ing, bet·ters v. tr. 1. To make better; improve: trying to better conditions in the prison; bettered myself by changing jobs. 2. To surpass or exceed: practiced so he could better his rival. v. intr. Idioms: To become better: Conditions bettered with time. better off In a better or more prosperous condition: would be better off taking the train instead of driving; felt better off after the rise in stock prices. for the better Resulting in or aiming at an improvement: Her condition took a turn for the better. get (or have)the better of To outdo or outwit; defeat. think better of To change one's mind about (a course of action) after reconsideration: I almost bought an expensive watch, but then I thought better of it. [Middle English, from Old English betera; see bhad- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
v. thought (thôt), think·ing, thinks v.tr. 1. To have or formulate in the mind: Think the happiest thought you can think. 2. a. To reason about or reflect on; ponder: Think how complex language is. Think the matter through. b. To decide by reasoning, reflection, or pondering: thinking what to do. 3. a. To judge or regard; look upon: I think it only fair. b. To believe; suppose: always thought he was right. 4. a. To expect; hope: They thought she'd arrive early. b. To intend: She thinks to defeat the incumbent in the election. 5. a. To call to mind; remember: I can't think what her name was. b. To visualize; imagine: Think what a scene it will be at the reunion. c. To devise or evolve; invent: thought up a plan to get rich quick. 6. To bring into a given condition by mental preoccupation: He thought himself into a panic over the impending examination. 7. To concentrate one's thoughts on; keep as a point of focus: Think victory. v.intr. 1. To exercise the power of reason, as by conceiving ideas, drawing inferences, and using judgment: My cold made it difficult to think. 2. To consider or weigh an idea: They are thinking about moving. 3. a. To bring a thought to mind by using the imagination: No one before had thought of bifocal glasses. b. To recall a thought or an image to mind: She thought of her childhood when she saw the movie. 4. To have a belief, supposition, or opinion: He thinks of himself as a wit. It's later than you think. 5. To have care or consideration: Think first of the ones you love. 6. To use the mind in a certain way: He thinks just like you do—always worrying. adj. Informal Requiring much thought to create or assimilate: a think book. n. Idioms: The act or an instance of deliberate or extended thinking; a meditation. come to think of it Informal When one considers the matter; on reflection: Come to think of it, that road back there was the one we were supposed to take. think aloud/out loud To speak one's thoughts audibly. think better of To change one's mind about; reconsider. think big To plan ambitiously or on a grand scale. think little of To regard as inferior; have a poor opinion of. think nothing of To give little consideration to; regard as routine or usual: thought nothing of a 50-mile trip every day. think twice To weigh something carefully: I'd think twice before spending all that money on clothes. [Middle English thenken, from Old English thencan; see tong- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] Synonyms: think, cerebrate, cogitate, reason, reflect These verbs mean to use the powers of the mind, as in conceiving ideas or drawing inferences: thought before answering; sat in front of the fire cerebrating; cogitates about business problems; reasons clearly; took time to reflect before deciding. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
