adj (1) 较好(优，合适)的(good to a greater extent)(good的比较级)：a～example/friend/job更好的例子/朋友/工作;Which of the twins is the～skater? 这对孪生子哪个滑冰滑得较好? This is a～book than most.这是一本顶不错的书。be/seem/look (much)～than...是/似乎/看样子比……好(得多);be～at maths than sb else/other subjects 数学学得比某人/别的科目好;The results are～than expected.结果比预料的好。The weather couldn't have been～.天气再好不过了。Nothing is/could be～than that.那再好不过了。It was～than nothing.这最差了。He's no～than a thief.他和贼相差无几。The more the～.越多越好。It is～that you should have asked him to come.你本应该请他来的。It is～to say nothing.最好什么也别说。B～to do it now than later.现在做比以后好。B～luck next time.愿下次走运。one's～half妻子(或丈夫);〖同〗superior，finer，preferable;〖反〗worse，inferior;

(2) (健康状况)好转，痊愈(partly or fully recovered from an illness)(形容词well的比较级)：be a little/much/no～than one was 比以前好一点/好很多/没好转;Are you feeling any～? 你感觉好点了吗? The patient is～today. 病人今天好些了。His ankle is getting～.他的踝骨好起来了。Her cold is～.她感冒好些了。At last he got～.他终于痊愈了。I'm quite/completely/nearly～now. 我现在完全/完全/几乎康复了。〖同〗healthier，stronger，fitter;〖反〗worse，sicker，weaker;

the better part of 多半(部分)：The～part of the day/a lifetime was spent working. 多半天/多半辈子都干活了。

have seen/known better days 比以前更糟：The old car/man has seen～days. 那旧车子/老人现在更糟了。

adv (well 的比较级) (1) 更好地 (in a more excellent way)：write/play/swim/behave a little (much/no)～than sb else(before)比某人(以前)写/玩/游/表现得好一点(好得多/差不多);Try to do it～next time.下次尽量做得好一些。We are～housed than ever before.我们现在的住房比以前任何时侯都好。

(2) 更，愈加 (to a higher degree; more)：like/know/understand...～than与……相比更喜欢/了解/理解……;I love this place～than anywhere else. 我最喜欢这个地方。He saw the future of railroads～than anybody of his time.他比他同时代的任何人都更清楚地看到铁路的前景。These trees are～adapted to this environment.这些树更适应这个环境。

(3) 更多 (more)：We walked/marched～than ten miles to town.我们又朝城里走/迈进了10英里。It takes～than an hour to get to work.着手工作花了一个多小时。The play was first performed～than 20 years ago. 这个剧首次上演于20多年前。〖同〗more;〖反〗less;

better off 1) 更好(明智)：He'd be～off staying right there/if he stops smoking/in hospital/dead. 他最好就呆在那里/不再抽烟/住院/死了。2) 富有：They are much～off than they were two years ago. 他们比两年前富有多了。

had better 最好：I/You/She had～not disturb him. 我/你(们)/她最好别打搅他。You had～be going/have gone back.你最好马上走/还不如早就回去了。

know better than to do sth 懂得不应做某事：He knows/ought to know～than to mention it to them.他懂得/应该懂得不该向他们提及这事。

n 较优(佳)者 (sb or sth that is good to a greater extent than the other (of the two))[U， a/the～]：hope for～希望更好些;expect～of sb 以为某人会表现好一些;That's my idea. Can you think of a～? 那是我的主意，你能想出更好的吗? He is the～of the two.他是两者中较好的。the～of the two choices/candidates两种选择/两个候选人中较好的一个;Both of you are good at this， but which is the～? 你们俩都擅长于此，可哪一个更强?

one's (elders and) betters 长辈，比自己明智、有经验者：Don't be rude/speak that way to your (elders and)～s.对长辈不要粗鲁/那样讲话。

for the better 好转：The weather/His health has changed for the～.天气/他的身体状况有了好转。

get the better of sb/sth 1) 击败，占上风：get the～of a criminal/one's opponents 战胜罪犯/赢了对手;His shyness/curiosity/indignation got the～of him.他羞涩得不知所措/好奇得不能自己/愤慨得无法控制。2) 赢，取胜：get the～of a quarrel/the argument争吵/辩论赢了;

v (1) (使)改进(善 )((cause to) improve) [T+n， I]：～one's living conditions/one's work/one's lectures/one's marks/one's fortunes 改善生活条件/改进工作/提高讲课水平/提高分数/使命运更好;A new battery will～the car's performance.新电池会提高这车子的性能。The situation has/The conditions have～ed a little (a great deal).局势/条件稍有(大大)改善了。

(2) 胜(超)过 (exceed; do better than sth) [T+n]：～last year's production records/time for race/results 超过去年的生产记录/赛跑时间/成绩;The achievement can not be～ed. 这成绩无法超过。The runner～ed the world's record by 2.1 seconds.那赛跑运动员超过了世界记录2.1秒。The pole vaulter～ed he world's record by six inches.那撑竿跳高运动员超过了世界记录六英寸。His record stood until 1970， when another athlete～ed it.他的记录保持到1970年被另一个运动员打破了。〖同〗exceed，top;

better oneself 改善自己的(社会、经济)状况：try to～oneself by going to night school/by marrying a rich man 极力要通过上夜校/嫁一个有钱人而改善自己的状况;

→ ′betterment n 改进;

【说明】better用作形容词指身体健康状况时，可表示“好转”，也可表示“痊愈”(见adj(2))。表示“好转”时，可用 much 等副词修饰，可接than，如：He is much～today than yesterday. (他今天身体比昨天好多了。) 表示“痊愈”时则不可，如：At last he got ～. (他终于康复了。)