Definition of 'best'
4. singular noun [oft poss NOUN]
Someone's best is the greatest effort or highest achievement or standard that they are capable of.
5. singular noun
If you say that something is the best that can be done or hoped for, you think it is the most pleasant, successful, or useful thing that can be done or hoped for.
Synonyms: most sensible thing, wisest thing, most desirable thing, most advisable thing More Synonyms of best
7.
Best is used to form the superlative of compound adjectives beginning with ' good' and ' well'. For example, the superlative of ' well-known' is 'best-known'.
8. See also second best, Sunday best
9.
See all the best
10.
See best of all
11.
See as best one can
12.
See at best
13.
See to do one's best
14.
See for the best
15.
16.
See had best
17.
See to know best
18.
19.
24. best of luck
25. the best part
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
British English pronunciation
American English pronunciation
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Word Frequency
best in British English
adjective
1. the superlative of good
2.
3.
4. See the best part of
5. See put one's best foot forward
adverb
6. the superlative of well1
7.
in a manner surpassing all others; most excellently, advantageously, attractively, etc
9. See as best one can
10. See had best
noun
11. See the best
12. (often preceded by at)
journalism at its best
17. See at best
18. See for the best
19. See get the best of
20. See give someone the best
21. See make the best of
22. See six of the best
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
Old English betst; related to Gothic batista, Old High German bezzistWord Frequency
best in American English
adjective
2.
of the most excellent sort; surpassing all others
3.
most suitable, most desirable, most favorable, most profitable, etc.
adverb
6.
in the most excellent manner; in the most suitable way
7.
in the highest degree; to the greatest extent; most
noun
9.
the thing, condition, circumstance, action, etc. that is most excellent, most suitable, etc.
11.
advantage
to get the best of an opponent
12.
one's finest clothes
Idioms:
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word origin
ME best, betst < OE betst (akin to Goth batists) < ? IE base *bhad-, good > Sans bhadrá-ḥ, fortunate, good
Word Frequency
best in American English
(best)
adjective (superl. of good with better as compar.)
2.
most advantageous, suitable, or desirable
the best way
3.
largest; most
the best part of a day
adverb (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. (usually used in combination)
in or to the highest degree; most fully
best-suited
best-known
best-loved
6. See as best one can
7. See had best
noun
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
12. (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
15. See all for the best
16. See at best
17. See get the best of
18. See make the best of
19. See with the best
transitive verb
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
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In other languages
best
British English: best
/bɛst/ ADJECTIVE
If you say that something is best, you mean that it is better than all the others.
You are my best friend.
- American English: best /bɛst/
- Arabic: أَفْضَل
- Brazilian Portuguese: melhor
- Chinese: 最好的
- Croatian: najbolji
- Czech: nejlepší
- Danish: bedste
- Dutch: best
- European Spanish: el mejor superlativo
- Finnish: paras
- French: meilleur
- German: bester
- Greek: βέλτιστος
- Italian: migliore
- Japanese: 最もよい
- Korean: 최고의
- Norwegian: best
- Polish: najlepszy
- European Portuguese: melhor
- Romanian: cel mai bun
- Russian: наилучший
- Latin American Spanish: mejor
- Swedish: bäst
- Thai: ดีที่สุด
- Turkish: en iyi
- Ukrainian: кращий
- Vietnamese: tốt nhất
British English: best
/bɛst/ ADVERB
You use best to say that something is better than all the others.
The thing I liked best was the music.
- American English: best /ˈbɛst/
- Arabic: أَفْضَل
- Brazilian Portuguese: mais
- Chinese: 最好地
- Croatian: najbolje
- Czech: nejlépe
- Danish: bedst
- Dutch: het beste
- European Spanish: mejor
- Finnish: parhaiten
- French: mieux
- German: am liebsten
- Greek: καλύτερα
- Italian: meglio
- Japanese: 最もよく
- Korean: 최고로
- Norwegian: best
- Polish: najlepiej
- European Portuguese: da melhor maneira
- Romanian: cel mai mult
- Russian: лучше всего
- Latin American Spanish: mejor
- Swedish: bäst
- Thai: อย่างที่สุด, อย่างมากที่สุด
- Turkish: en iyisi
- Ukrainian: найкращий
- Vietnamese: tốt nhất
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