best
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See also: Best
English[edit]
Pronunciation[edit]
Etymology 1[edit]
From Middle English beste, best, from Old English betst, betest, from Proto-Germanic *batistaz.
Adjective[edit]
best (positive good, adverb well, comparative better, superlative (humorous) bestest)
- superlative form of good: most good.
- I can either be your best friend or your worst enemy.
- c. 1596–1598, William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act I, scene ii], page 163, column 1:
- […] when he is beſt, he is a little worſe then a man, and when he is worſt, he is little better than a beaſt:
- 1667, John Milton, “Book V”, in Paradise Lost. A Poem Written in Ten Books, London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […], OCLC 228722708; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, OCLC 230729554, line 19:
- Heav'ns laſt beſt gift, my ever new delight,
- 2011 October 7, Lana Del Rey; Justin Parker (lyrics and music), “Video Games”, in Born to Die, performed by Lana Del Rey:
- Swinging in the backyard / Pull up in your fast car whistling my name / Open up a beer / And you say get over here and play a video game / […] / I say you the bestest / Lean in for a big kiss, put his favorite perfume on / Go play your video game
- 2013 August 10, Schumpeter, “Cronies and capitols”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848:
- Policing the relationship between government and business in a free society is difficult. […] Governments have to find the best people to fill important jobs: there is a limited supply of people who understand the financial system, for example. But governments must also remember that businesses are self-interested actors who will try to rig the system for their own benefit.
- Most; largest.
- Unpacking took the best part of a week.
- Most superior; most favorable.
- In my opinion, mushrooms are the best pizza toppings.
Usage notes[edit]
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[edit]
Derived terms[edit]
Translations[edit]
superlative of the adjective good
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Adverb[edit]
best
- superlative form of well: most well
- 1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. A Poem Written in Ten Books, London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […], OCLC 228722708; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, OCLC 230729554, lines 867–869:
- Out of my ſight, thou Serpent, that name beſt / Befits thee with him leagu'd, thy ſelf as falſe / And hateful;
- 1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […]”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J. M[acock] for John Starkey […], OCLC 228732398, line 1072, page 65:
- But had we beſt retire, I ſee a ſtorm?
- 1798, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
- He prayeth best, who loveth best / All things both great and small.
- 1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter VIII, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, OCLC 24962326:
- At her invitation he outlined for her the succeeding chapters with terse military accuracy ; and what she liked best and best understood was avoidance of that false modesty which condescends, turning technicality into pabulum.
- To the most advantage; with the most success, cause, profit, benefit, or propriety.
- 1854, Arthur Pendennis [pseudonym; William Makepeace Thackeray], The Newcomes: Memoirs of a Most Respectable Family, volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, […], OCLC 809623158:
- Had I not best go to her?
Translations[edit]
superlative of the adverb well
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Noun[edit]
best (countable and uncountable, plural bests)
- (uncountable) The supreme effort one can make, or has made.
- I did my best.
- My personal best in that race is eighteen minutes, four seconds.
- 2011 September 28, Tom Rostance, “Arsenal 2 - 1 Olympiakos”, in BBC Sport[1]:
- Home defender Per Mertesacker had to be at his best to stop a dangerous cross from Vassilis Torossidis reaching Djebbour, but moments later Arsenal doubled their lead through Santos.
- (uncountable) One's best behavior.
- I was somewhat distant lately, and my lady promised me head every Tuesday of the week when I'm nice to her, so I better be on my best.
- (countable) The person (or persons; or thing or things) that is (are) most excellent.
- Even the best of us makes mistakes.
- We're the best of friends.
- 1994, Otis L. Guernsey and Jeffrey Sweet, The Best Plays of 1993-1994, page vii:
- Mel Gussow reviews the bests of off off Broadway
- 1995 October, Cincinnati Magazine, [2]:
- But in true Cincinnati style, the bests consistently outnumber the worsts.
- 2011, G. Edward Evans, Sheila S. Intner, and Jean Riddle Weihs, Introduction to Technical Services, page 149:
- There are the bests for each institution, the bests for coalitions, and, of course, the bests for the group as a whole.
- 2013, Jesse Jose, Collections Of My Best And Most-Hated, "A Cup O' Kapeng Barako" Writings, page 209:
- If he's one of the bests, he should be fighting the bests, NOT the pipitsugins.
Translations[edit]
effort
person
Verb[edit]
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
- 2010, T. William Phillips, Restless Heart, page 16:
- "You did not win because I was sloppy. You bested me, Uncle. I've never seen you fight like that before.”
Antonyms[edit]
Translations[edit]
to beat
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Related terms[edit]
Derived terms[edit]
Etymology 2[edit]
Shortening of had best
Verb[edit]
best
- (modal verb, colloquial) Had best.
- 1935, Edward Joseph O'Brien, John Cournos, editor, The Best British Short Stories of 1935, page 37:
- 'We best be going,' she said, looking at the clock.
- 2010, Mary B. Morrison, Somebody's Gotta Be On Top:
- Brother, you best be gone when I return.
- It's getting late. You best get on home.
Usage notes[edit]
- Although it is sometimes considered an adverb, best is virtually synonymous with should in We best be going. and ought to We best go.. Should and ought are auxiliary verbs.
References[edit]
- best at OneLook Dictionary Search
- best in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
Anagrams[edit]
Dutch[edit]
Pronunciation[edit]
Etymology 1[edit]
From Middle Dutch best, from Old Dutch *betst, from Proto-Germanic *batistaz, superlative of *gōdaz. Compare Low German best, English best, West Frisian best, German besten, Danish bedst.
Adjective[edit]
best
- Superlative form of goed; best.
- fine, okay
- Mag ik buiten spelen? — Ik vind het best, als je maar voor het eten weer thuis bent.
- May I go and play outside? — It's fine with me, as long as you're back home again before dinner.
- Mag ik buiten spelen? — Ik vind het best, als je maar voor het eten weer thuis bent.
Inflection[edit]
- (definite inflected form): beste
Synonyms[edit]
- (fine): prima
Descendants[edit]
- Afrikaans: beste
Adverb[edit]
best
Etymology 2[edit]
Noun[edit]
best f (plural besten, diminutive bestje n)
Middle Dutch[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Old Dutch *betst, from Proto-Germanic *batistaz.
Pronunciation[edit]
Adjective[edit]
best
Adverb[edit]
best
Descendants[edit]
Middle English[edit]
Etymology 1[edit]
From Old English betst, betest.
Adjective[edit]
best
- Alternative form of beste
Adverb[edit]
best
- Alternative form of beste
Etymology 2[edit]
From Old French beste.
Noun[edit]
best
- Alternative form of beeste
Norwegian Bokmål[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Adjective[edit]
best
- indefinite singular superlative degree of god: best
- indefinite singular superlative degree of bra: best
Derived terms[edit]
References[edit]
- “best” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
Norwegian Nynorsk[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Adjective[edit]
best
References[edit]
- “best” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.
Old Saxon[edit]
Alternative forms[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Proto-Germanic *batistaz.
Adverb[edit]
best
Descendants[edit]
- Low German: best
Scots[edit]
Pronunciation[edit]
Adjective[edit]
best
Derived terms[edit]
- ill-best (“best of a bad lot, best of a poor selection”)
Noun[edit]
best (plural bests)
Swedish[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Pronunciation[edit]
Noun[edit]
best c
Declension[edit]
| Declension of best | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singular | Plural | |||
| Indefinite | Definite | Indefinite | Definite | |
| Nominative | best | besten | bestar | bestarna |
| Genitive | bests | bestens | bestars | bestarnas |
Anagrams[edit]
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