BEST

best, better(p)

(adjective) (comparative and superlative of ‘well’) wiser or more advantageous and hence advisable; “it would be better to speak to him”; “the White House thought it best not to respond”

best

(adjective) (superlative of ‘good’) having the most positive qualities; “the best film of the year”; “the best solution”; “the best time for planting”; “wore his best suit”

best

(adverb) it would be sensible; “you’d best stay at home”

best

(adverb) in a most excellent way or manner; “he played best after a couple of martinis”

better, best

(adverb) from a position of superiority or authority; “father knows best”; “I know better.”

best

(noun) the supreme effort one can make; “they did their best”

best, topper

(noun) the person who is most outstanding or excellent; someone who tops all others; “he could beat the best of them”

Best, C. H. Best, Charles Herbert Best

(noun) Canadian physiologist (born in the United States) who assisted F. G. Banting in research leading to the discovery of insulin (1899-1978)

outdo, outflank, trump, best, scoop

(verb) get the better of; “the goal was to best the competition”

GOOD

beneficial, good

(adjective) promoting or enhancing well-being; “an arms limitation agreement beneficial to all countries”; “the beneficial effects of a temperate climate”; “the experience was good for her”

full, good

(adjective) having the normally expected amount; “gives full measure”; “gives good measure”; “a good mile from here”

dear, good, near

(adjective) with or in a close or intimate relationship; “a good friend”; “my sisters and brothers are near and dear”

good

(adjective) thorough; “had a good workout”; “gave the house a good cleaning”

good

(adjective) generally admired; “good taste”

effective, good, in effect, in force

(adjective) exerting force or influence; “the law is effective immediately”; “a warranty good for two years”; “the law is already in effect (or in force)”

good, well

(adjective) resulting favorably; “it’s a good thing that I wasn’t there”; “it is good that you stayed”; “it is well that no one saw you”; “all’s well that ends well”

good, unspoiled, unspoilt

(adjective) not left to spoil; “the meat is still good”

good, honest

(adjective) not forged; “a good dollar bill”

good

(adjective) having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified; “good news from the hospital”; “a good report card”; “when she was good she was very very good”; “a good knife is one good for cutting”; “this stump will make a good picnic table”; “a good check”; “a good joke”; “a good exterior paint”; “a good secretary”; “a good dress for the office”

good

(adjective) morally admirable

good, salutary

(adjective) tending to promote physical well-being; beneficial to health; “beneficial effects of a balanced diet”; “a good night’s sleep”; “the salutary influence of pure air”

good, sound

(adjective) in excellent physical condition; “good teeth”; “I still have one good leg”; “a sound mind in a sound body”

good, serious

(adjective) appealing to the mind; “good music”; “a serious book”

good

(adjective) agreeable or pleasing; “we all had a good time”; “good manners”

good, right, ripe

(adjective) most suitable or right for a particular purpose; “a good time to plant tomatoes”; “the right time to act”; “the time is ripe for great sociological changes”

good

(adjective) capable of pleasing; “good looks”

estimable, good, honorable, respectable

(adjective) deserving of esteem and respect; “all respectable companies give guarantees”; “ruined the family’s good name”

good, just, upright

(adjective) of moral excellence; “a genuinely good person”; “a just cause”; “an upright and respectable man”

adept, expert, good, practiced, proficient, skillful, skilful

(adjective) having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude; “adept in handicrafts”; “an adept juggler”; “an expert job”; “a good mechanic”; “a practiced marksman”; “a proficient engineer”; “a lesser-known but no less skillful composer”; “the effect was achieved by skillful retouching”

dependable, good, safe, secure

(adjective) financially safe; “a good investment”; “a secure investment”

WELL

well

(adjective) wise or advantageous and hence advisable; “it would be well to start early”

good, well

(adjective) resulting favorably; “it’s a good thing that I wasn’t there”; “it is good that you stayed”; “it is well that no one saw you”; “all’s well that ends well”

well

(adjective) in good health especially after having suffered illness or injury; “appears to be entirely well”; “the wound is nearly well”; “a well man”; “I think I’m well; at least I feel well”

WELL

well, good

(adverb) (often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (‘good’ is a nonstandard dialectal variant for ‘well’); “the children behaved well”; “a task well done”; “the party went well”; “he slept well”; “a well-argued thesis”; “a well-seasoned dish”; “a well-planned party”; “the baby can walk pretty good”

well

(adverb) without unusual distress or resentment; with good humor; “took the joke well”; “took the tragic news well”

well, easily

(adverb) indicating high probability; in all likelihood; “I might well do it”; “a mistake that could easily have ended in disaster”; “you may well need your umbrella”; “he could equally well be trying to deceive us”

well

(adverb) thoroughly or completely; fully; often used as a combining form; “The problem is well understood”; “she was well informed”; “shake well before using”; “in order to avoid food poisoning be sure the meat is well cooked”; “well-done beef”; “well-satisfied customers”; “well-educated”

well

(adverb) favorably; with approval; “their neighbors spoke well of them”; “he thought well of the book”

well

(adverb) to a suitable or appropriate extent or degree; “the project was well underway”; “the fetus has well developed organs”; “his father was well pleased with his grades”

well, comfortably

(adverb) in financial comfort; “They live well”; “she has been able to live comfortably since her husband died”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Proper noun

Best

A surname.

Anagrams

• BTEs, Bets, bets

Etymology

Adjective

best

superlative form of good: most good.

Most; largest.

Most superior; most favorable.

Usage notes

The comparative gooder and superlative goodest derived from the positive good are nonstandard.

In informal (often jocular) contexts, best may be inflected further and given the comparative bester and the superlative bestest; these forms are also nonstandard.

Antonyms

• baddest (nonstandard)

• worst

Adverb

best

superlative form of well: most well

To the most advantage; with the most success, cause, profit, benefit, or propriety.

(colloquial shortening) Had best.

Noun

best (countable and uncountable, plural bests)

(uncountable) The supreme effort one can make, or has made.

(uncountable) One's best behavior.

(countable) The person (or persons; or thing or things) that is (are) most excellent.

Verb

best (third-person singular simple present bests, present participle besting, simple past and past participle bested)

To surpass in skill or achievement.

(transitive) To beat in a contest

Antonyms

• worst

Anagrams

• BTEs, Bets, bets

Source: Wiktionary

Best, a.; superl. of Good. Etym: [AS. besta, best, contr. from betest, betst, betsta; akin to Goth. batists, OHG. pezzisto, G. best, beste, D. best, Icel. beztr, Dan. best, Sw. bäst. This word has no connection in origin with good. See Better.]

1. Having good qualities in the highest degree; most good, kind, desirable, suitable, etc.; most excellent; as, the best man; the best road; the best cloth; the best abilities. When he is best, he is a little worse than a man. Shak. Heaven's last, best gift, my ever new delight. Milton.

2. Most advanced; most correct or complete; as, the best scholar; the best view of a subject.

3. Most; largest; as, the best part of a week. Best man, the only or principal groomsman at a wedding ceremony.

Best, n.

Definition: Utmost; highest endeavor or state; most nearly perfect thing, or being, or action; as, to do one's best; to the best of our ability. At best, in the utmost degree or extent applicable to the case; under the most favorable circumstances; as, life is at best very short.

– For best, finally. [Obs.] "Those constitutions . . . are now established for best, and not to be mended." Milton.

– To get the best of, to gain an advantage over, whether fairly or unfairly.

– To make the best of. (a) To improve to the utmost; to use or dispose of to the greatest advantage. "Let there be freedom to carry their commodities where they can make the best of them." Bacon. (b) To reduce to the least possible inconvenience; as, to make the best of ill fortune or a bad bargain.

Best, adv.; superl. of Well.

1. In the highest degree; beyond all others. "Thou serpent! That name best befits thee." Milton. He prayeth best, who loveth best All things both great and small. Coleridge.

2. To the most advantage; with the most success, case, profit, benefit, or propriety. Had we best retire I see a storm. Milton. Had I not best go to her Thackeray.

3. Most intimately; most thoroughly or correctly; as, what is expedient is best known to himself.

Best, v. t.

Definition: To get the better of. [Colloq.]

GOOD

Good, a. [Compar. Better; superl. Best. These words, though used as the comparative and superlative of good, are from a different root.] Etym: [AS. God, akin to D. goed, OS. god, OHG. guot, G. gut, Icel. goedhr, Sw. & Dan. god, Goth. gods; prob. orig., fitting, belonging together, and akin to E. gather. sq. root29 Cf. Gather.]

1. Possessing desirable qualities; adapted to answer the end designed; promoting success, welfare, or happiness; serviceable; useful; fit; excellent; admirable; commendable; not bad, corrupt, evil, noxious, offensive, or troublesome, etc. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. Gen. i. 31. Good company, good wine, good welcome. Shak.

2. Possessing moral excellence or virtue; virtuous; pious; religious;

– said of persons or actions. In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works. Tit. ii. 7.

3. Kind; benevolent; humane; merciful; gracious; polite; propitious; friendly; well-disposed; -- often followed by to or toward, also formerly by unto. The men were very good unto us. 1 Sam. xxv. 15.

4. Serviceable; suited; adapted; suitable; of use; to be relied upon;

– followed especially by for. All quality that is good for anything is founded originally in merit. Collier.

5. Clever; skillful; dexterous; ready; handy; -- followed especially by at. He . . . is a good workman; a very good tailor. Shak. Those are generally good at flattering who are good for nothing else. South.

6. Adequate; sufficient; competent; sound; not fallacious; valid; in a commercial sense, to be depended on for the discharge of obligations incurred; having pecuniary ability; of unimpaired credit. My reasons are both good and weighty. Shak. My meaning in saying he is a good man is . . . that he is sufficient . . . I think I may take his bond. Shak.

7. Real; actual; serious; as in the phrases in good earnest; in good sooth. Love no man in good earnest. Shak.

8. Not small, insignificant, or of no account; considerable; esp., in the phrases a good deal, a good way, a good degree, a good share or part, etc.

9. Not lacking or deficient; full; complete. Good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over. Luke vi. 38.

10. Not blemished or impeached; fair; honorable; unsullied; as in the phrases a good name, a good report, good repute, etc. A good name is better than precious ointment. Eccl. vii. 1. As good as. See under As.

– For good, or For good and all, completely and finally; fully; truly. The good woman never died after this, till she came to die for good and all. L'Estrange.

– Good breeding, polite or polished manners, formed by education; a polite education. Distinguished by good humor and good breeding. Macaulay.

– Good cheap, literally, good bargain; reasonably cheap.

– Good consideration (Law). (a) A consideration of blood or of natural love and affection. Blackstone. (b) A valuable consideration, or one which will sustain a contract.

– Good fellow, a person of companionable qualities. [Familiar] -- Good folk, or Good people, fairies; brownies; pixies, etc. [Colloq. Eng. & Scot.] -- Good for nothing. (a) Of no value; useless; worthless. (b) Used substantively, an idle, worthless person. My father always said I was born to be a good for nothing. Ld. Lytton.

– Good Friday, the Friday of Holy Week, kept in some churches as a fast, in memoory of our Savior's passion or suffering; the anniversary of the crucifixion.

– Good humor, or Good-humor, a cheerful or pleasant temper or state of mind.

– Good nature, or Good-nature, habitual kindness or mildness of temper or disposition; amiability; state of being in good humor. The good nature and generosity which belonged to his character. Macaulay. The young count's good nature and easy persuadability were among his best characteristics. Hawthorne.

– Good people. See Good folk (above).

– Good speed, good luck; good success; godspeed; -- an old form of wishing success. See Speed.

– Good turn, an act of kidness; a favor.

– Good will. (a) Benevolence; well wishing; kindly feeling. (b) (Law) The custom of any trade or business; the tendency or inclination of persons, old customers and others, to resort to an established place of business; the advantage accruing from tendency or inclination. The good will of a trade is nothing more than the probability that the old customers will resort to the old place. Lord Eldon.

– In good time. (a) Promptly; punctually; opportunely; not too soon nor too late. (b) (Mus.) Correctly; in proper time.

– To hold good, to remain true or valid; to be operative; to remain in force or effect; as, his promise holds good; the condition still holds good.

– To make good, to fulfill; to establish; to maintain; to supply (a defect or deficiency); to indemmify; to prove or verify (an accusation); to prove to be blameless; to clear; to vindicate. Each word made good and true. Shak. Of no power to make his wishes good. Shak. I . . . would by combat make her good. Shak. Convenient numbers to make good the city. Shak.

– To think good, to approve; to be pleased or satisfied with; to consider expedient or proper. If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. Zech. xi. 12.

Note: Good, in the sense of wishing well, is much used in greeting and leave-taking; as, good day, good night, good evening, good morning, etc.

Good, n.

1. That which possesses desirable qualities, promotes success, welfare, or happiness, is serviceable, fit, excellent, kind, benevolent, etc.; -- opposed to evil. There be many that say, Who will show us any good Ps. iv. 6.

2. Advancement of interest or happiness; welfare; prosperity; advantage; benefit; -- opposed to harm, etc. The good of the whole community can be promoted only by advancing the good of each of the members composing it. Jay.

3. pl.

Definition: Wares; commodities; chattels; -- formerly used in the singular in a collective sense. In law, a comprehensive name for almost all personal property as distinguished from land or real property. Wharton. He hath made us spend much good. Chaucer. Thy lands and goods Are, by the laws of Venice, confiscate Unto the state of Venice. Shak. Dress goods, Dry goods, etc. See in the Vocabulary.

– Goods engine, a freight locomotive. [Eng.] -- Goods train, a freight train. [Eng.] -- Goods wagon, a freight car [Eng.] See the Note under Car, n., 2.

Good, adv.

Definition: Well, -- especially in the phrase as good, with a following as expressed or implied; equally well with as much advantage or as little harm as possible. As good almost kill a man as kill a good book. Milton. As good as, in effect; virtually; the same as. They who counsel ye to such a suppressing, do as good as bid ye suppress yourselves. Milton.

Good, v. t.

1. To make good; to turn to good. [Obs.]

2. To manure; to improve. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

BEST

GOOD

WELL

WELL

Etymology

Proper noun

Anagrams

Etymology

Adjective

Usage notes

Antonyms

Adverb

Noun

Verb

Antonyms

Anagrams

GOOD

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