BEST

(EXCELLENT) [noun] [U] - the most excellent in a group of things or peopleMy tastes are simple - I only like the best.He wanted the best for his children - good schools, a nice house and trips abroad.I like all of Hitchcock's films, but I think 'Notorious' is the best.All the singers were good, but Maria was easily the best.Chris and I are the best of friends (= We are very close friends).I'm sorry that this isn't a very nice room, but it's the best (= the most pleasant) I could get.My essay isn't great, but it's the best I could do in the time available.(informal) If you are saying goodbye to someone whom you will not see for a long time, you can say all the best! to wish them a happy and successful future.The food was bland at best (= even considering it as kindly as possible), and at worst completely inedible.The documentary was an example of investigative journalism at its best (= at the highest standard achievable).I'm not at my best (= I am not very active or intelligent) in the morning.Our car doesn't go fast even at the best of times (= even when everything is going well), but today it's incredibly slow.There was wonderful food, good company, and best of all (= the most pleasing thing was) a jazz band.Best of luck is an expression used to wish someone success before an exam or an activity which might be difficult or cause problems.Best of luck with your exams!We would like to wish you the (very) best of luck with your move to the States.If you like skiing and swimming, the island allows you to enjoy the best of both worlds (= the advantages of two very different things).In a sport such as tennis, if you play the best of a particular number of games, you play that number of games and the winner is the player who wins the greatest number of those games.Shall we play the best of five?To do/try your (level/very) best is to make the greatest effort possible.It doesn't matter if you fail, just do your best.If you have had the best of something, you have enjoyed the most pleasant part of it, and everything that is left is worse.I think we've already had the best of the hot weather this summer.If you make the best of something /(UK) make the best of a bad job /(US) make the best of a bad situation, you make an unsatisfactory situation as pleasant as possible.We'll have to spend the night in this awful place, so we might as well make the best of it.If an action is for the best, it is done to improve a situation or produce a good result, although it might seem unpleasant at the time.I know it's hard for you to leave Michael, but it's for the best.If something turns out/is all for the best, it has a good result despite seeming bad at the time.Failing my exams was awful, but it all turned out for the best because I managed to get a job almost immediately.Just do the work to the best of your ability (= as well as you can).He's arriving tomorrow, to the best of my knowledge (= I believe that this is true from the information available).He can dance with the best of them (= as well as anyone).