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Not improving or getting worse; not growing wiser, greater, better, more excellent, or the contrary.

In store, in a state of accumulation; in keeping; hence, in a state of readiness. "I have better news in store for thee." Shak. -- Store clothes, clothing purchased at a shop or store; -- in distinction from that which is home-made. [Colloq. U.S.] -- Store pay, payment for goods or work in articles from a shop or stor…

be in agony; to labor in any kind of difficulty or distress. 'T is wisdom to beware, And better shun the bait than struggle in the snare. Dryden.

not such as those we saw yesterday; give your children such precepts as tend to make them better. And in his time such a conqueror That greater was there none under the sun. Chaucer. His misery was such that none of the bystanders could refrain from weeping. Macaulay.

tic; esp., a cuntry gallant or lover; -- chiefly in poetry. It were a happy life To be no better than a homely swain. Shak. Blest swains! whose nymphs in every grace excel. Pope.

mpse.] [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell. Temse bread, Temsed bread, Temse loaf, bread made of flour better sifted than common fluor. [Prov. Eng.]

used after certain adjectives and adverbs which express comparison or diversity, as more, better, other, otherwise, and the like. It is usually followed by the object compared in the nominative case. Sometimes, however, the object compared is placed in the objective case, and than is then considered by some grammarians…

A small degree or quantity; a trifle; as, a thought longer; a thought better. [Colloq.] If the hair were a thought browner. Shak.

wasteth [i. e. passes away] night and day. Chaucer. I know of no ideas . . . that have a better claim to be accounted simple and original than those of space and time. Reid.

To perform eminently, or better than before. From endeavoring universally to top their parts, they will go universally beyond them. Jeffrey.

ng droppers, . . . duffers, touters, or any of those bloodless sharpers who are, perhaps, better known to the police. Dickens.

arles II.; -- afterwards applied to the London militia. [Eng.] He felt that, without some better protection than that of the trainbands and Beefeaters, his palace and person would hardly be secure. Macaulay. A trainband captain eke was he Of famous London town. Cowper.

ishop of Rochester, when the king would have translated him from that poor bishopric to a better, . . . refused." Camden.

se; as, paths cut with traverse trenches. Oak . . . being strong in all positions, may be better trusted in cross and traverse work. Sir H. Wotton. The ridges of the fallow field traverse. Hayward. Traverse drill (Mach.), a machine tool for drilling slots, in which the work or tool has a lateral motion back and forth;…

st; to think or suppose. [Archaic] So that ye trow in Christ, and you baptize. Chaucer. A better priest, I trow, there nowhere none is. Chaucer. It never yet was worn, I trow. Tennyson.

ected pomp; bombast; swelling words or expressions; false magnificence or sublimity. [R.] Better, however, to be a flippant, than, by a revolting form of tumor and perplexity, to lead men into habits of intellect such as result from the modern vice of English style. De Quincey. Encysted tumor, a tumor which is inclosed…

A kind of kettledrum. [Written also trimbal.] A tymbal's sound were better than my voice. Prior.

n. [Obs.] "This uncouth errand." Milton. To leave the good that I had in hand, In hope of better that was uncouth. Spenser.

Not improved; not made better or wiser; not advanced in knowledge, manners, or excellence.

Not paired; not suited or matched. And minds unpaired had better think alone. Crabbe.