/best/ , adj., superl. of good with better as compar.
1. of the highest quality, excellence, or standing: the best work; the best students.
2. most advantageous, suitable, or desirable: the best way.
3. largest; most: the best part of a day.
adv., superl. of well with better as compar.
4. most excellently or suitably; with most advantage or success: an opera role that best suits her voice.
5. in or to the highest degree; most fully (usually used in combination): best-suited; best-known; best-loved.
6. as best one can , in the best way possible under the circumstances: We tried to smooth over the disagreement as best we could.
7. had best , would be wisest or most reasonable to; ought to: You had best phone your mother to tell her where you are going.
n.
8. something or someone that is best: They always demand and get the best. The best of us can make mistakes.
9. a person's finest clothing: It's important that you wear your best.
10. a person's most agreeable or desirable emotional state (often prec. by at ).
11. a person's highest degree of competence, inspiration, etc. (often prec. by at ).
12. the highest quality to be found in a given activity or category of things (often prec. by at ): cabinetmaking at its best.
13. the best effort that a person, group, or thing can make: Their best fell far short of excellence.
14. a person's best wishes or kindest regards: Please give my best to your father.
15. all for the best , for the good as the final result; to an ultimate advantage: At the time it was hard to realize how it could be all for the best. Also, for the best .
16. at best , under the most favorable circumstances: You may expect to be treated civilly, at best.
17. get or have the best of ,
a. to gain the advantage over.
b. to defeat; subdue: His arthritis gets the best of him from time to time.
18. make the best of , to cope with in the best way possible: to make the best of a bad situation.
19. with the best , on a par with the most capable: He can play bridge with the best.
v.t.
20. to get the better of; defeat; beat: He easily bested his opponent in hand-to-hand combat. She bested me in the argument.
[ bef. 900; ME beste, OE betst, best; c. D best, OHG bezzist (G best ), ON bezt, Goth batists. See BETTER 1 , -EST ]