Best Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary (2023)

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best of all next best on your best behavior as best you can had best (all) for the best (all) the best at best best of luck best (out) of three (five, seven, etc.) bring out the best in feel your best get the best of know best look your best make the best of the best is yet to come/be to the best of my knowledge to the best of your ability to the best of your belief

1 best

/ˈbɛst/

adjective

1 best

/ˈbɛst/

adjective

Britannica Dictionary definition of BEST

superlative form of 1good

or of 2well

1

a

:

better than all others in quality or value

  • You should wear your best clothes tonight.

  • He took us to the (very) best restaurants in the city.

  • We ate the best food and drank the best wines.

  • You're our best customers.

  • His modesty and sense of humor are his best qualities.

  • Is that your best offer?

  • I've had the best time with you! [=I've had a very enjoyable time with you]

  • The best [=most valuable] things in life are free.

  • Which of these do you think tastes best?

  • Mary sends you her very best wishes/regards.

  • He's my best friend. [=my closest/dearest friend] = He and I are best friends.

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b

:

most skillful, talented, or successful

  • She's the best student in her class.

  • He won the award for best actor in a drama.

  • the team's best player

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2

:

most appropriate, useful, or helpful

  • She truly believes that this is the best way to solve the problem.

  • She's the team's best hope/chance for a medal.

  • She thought waiting was best. = She thought that the best thing to do was to wait. = She thought that it was best to wait.

  • It's best to leave early if you want to be sure of arriving on time.

  • We want to do what's best for you.

  • He's the best man for the job.

  • You should do whatever you think is the best thing to do. = You should do whatever you think best.

  • We're making the best possible use of these materials.

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best of all

◊ The phrase best of all is often used to refer to the most important or appealing part of something that has many good parts.

  • The machine is easy to use, easy to clean, and best of all, it's absolutely free when you order these books.

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next best

◊ A person or thing that is next best is not as good as the best person or thing but is better than all others.

  • The shortstop is the best player on the team, and the catcher is the next best player.

  • We can't see each other often, but calling each other on the telephone is the next best thing.

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on your best behavior

◊ If you are on your best behavior you are behaving very politely and well.

  • Remember to be on your best behavior with your grandmother.

  • The children promised to be on their best behavior.

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2 best

/ˈbɛst/

adverb

2 best

/ˈbɛst/

adverb

Britannica Dictionary definition of BEST

superlative form of 1well

See Also
Best Sliders Among 2023 Top 100 Prospects

1

:

in the best way

:

in a way that is better than all others

  • The sauce is best served/eaten/enjoyed cold.

  • His cooking is best described as spicy. = It can best be described as spicy.

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:

with the most success or benefit

  • They work best under pressure.

  • That's what we do best!

  • We need to think about how best to fix this problem.

  • This is a job best left to the professionals. [=it's better/best to allow professional workers to do this job]

  • Some things are best left unsaid. [=it's better/best not to talk about some things]

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2

:

to the greatest degree or extent

:

most

  • That's the one we liked (the) best.

  • The work should be done by the people who are best able to do it.

  • She's best suited to life in the city.

  • He is best known for his invention of the light bulb.

  • The museum features some of the best-known examples of this style of painting.

  • the industry's best-kept secret

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as best you can

or

the best (that) you can

:

as well, skillfully, or accurately as you can

  • She answered their questions as best she could. [=as well as she could]

  • You don't have to do it perfectly. Just do it the best you can.

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had best

◊ If you had best do something, you should do it.

  • You'd best get ready for school. [=you'd better get ready for school; you should get ready for school]

  • Hadn't you best get ready for school?

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3 best

/ˈbɛst/

noun

3 best

/ˈbɛst/

noun

Britannica Dictionary definition of BEST

[singular]

1

the best

:

the best person or thing

  • Out of all of my workers, he's the best.

  • Our company is the best in the business.

  • Thanks, Dad. You're the best!

  • I have one more gift for you, and I saved the best for last.

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:

the best group of people or things

  • Our store sells nothing but the best. = We sell only the best. [=the best products]

  • She's one of the best in the world. = She's among the best.

  • Bad things happen to the best of us.

  • They want the best for their children.

  • Even in the best of times, we had trouble paying our bills.

  • In the best of all possible worlds, no one would be without food and clean water.

  • He can compete with the best of them. [=he can compete as well as anyone]

  • We were the best of friends. [=we were very good friends]

  • I have a wonderful family and a great job, so I feel that I have the best of both worlds.

  • Problems can occur even in/under the best of circumstances. [=even if the situation is as good as possible]

  • All of the students are good, but these three are the best of the bunch. [=the best ones in the group]

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— see also sunday best

2

:

someone's or something's most effective, capable, or successful condition

— used in phrases like at your best and at its best

  • He's at his best in front of a live audience.

  • She's at her best in the morning.

  • This is democracy at its best.

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3

:

the highest level that you can do or achieve

  • Was that your best? = Was that the best you could do?

  • No one expects you to do the job perfectly. Just do your best. = Just do the best you can. [=do as well as you can]

  • He did his best to help them.

  • Her time in the race was a personal best. [=it was the fastest time she had ever achieved]

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(all) for the best

:

having or producing a better result

— used to say that something will have a good result even though it was not the intended result

  • I won't be able to go, but maybe it's all for the best. I have a lot of work to do anyway.

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(all) the best

◊ If you wish someone (all) the best, you hope that person will be happy and successful.

  • We wish you all the best in your new job.

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at best

— used to refer to a result, condition, etc., that is the best one possible even though it is not very good

  • The company won't make a profit this year. At best, they'll break even.

  • The work won't be finished for another three months at best.

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best of luck

— see 1luck

best (out) of three (five, seven, etc.)

— used to say that the winner of a series of games will be the one who has won the most times after three (five, seven, etc.) games have been played

bring out the best in

◊ If someone or something brings out the best in you, that person or thing helps you to use or show your best qualities.

  • She seems to bring out the best in him.

  • Performing in front of an audience brings out the best in me. [=I perform better when I am in front of an audience]

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feel your best

:

to feel very healthy

  • Exercise helps you look and feel your best.

  • I'm not feeling my best this morning. [=I'm not feeling very well this morning]

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get the best of

◊ If an emotion or feeling gets the best of you, it causes you to do something that you should not do or that you are trying not to do.

  • I did get a little carried away. I guess the excitement got the best of me. [=got the better of me]

  • Their emotions have gotten the best of them.

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know best

or

know what's best

— see 1know

look your best

:

to look very good

:

to look as attractive and pleasant as possible

  • Try to look your best when interviewing for a job.

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make the best of

1

:

to use (something) in an effective way

  • We may not get another chance, so we need to make the best of this opportunity.

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2

:

to deal with (a bad situation) as well as possible

  • Life is not very good right now—but let's try to make the best of it.

  • We're trying to make the best (out) of a bad situation. = (Brit) We're trying to make the best of a bad job.

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the best is yet to come/be

— used to say that good things have happened but that even better things will happen in the future

  • Life is good now, but the best is yet to come.

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to the best of my knowledge

— see knowledge

to the best of your ability

:

as well as you are able to

  • Every game, we go out and play to the best of our ability.

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to the best of your belief

— see belief

4 best

/ˈbɛst/

verb

bests;

bested;

besting

4 best

/ˈbɛst/

verb

bests;

bested;

besting

Britannica Dictionary definition of BEST

[+ object]

:

to do better than (someone or something)

:

to defeat or outdo (someone or something)

  • They were bested [=beaten] by their opponents in the opening game.

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