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Pertaining to an acid first obtained from benzoic aldehyde (oil of better almonds), as a white crystalline substance; -- called also phenyl glycolic acid.

; to have an encounter or conflict. Weapons more violent, when next we meet, May serve to better us and worse our foes. Milton.

To make better; to improve; to ameliorate; to soften; to make more tolerable. Nature by art we nobly meliorate. Denham. The pure and bening light of revelation has had a meliorating influence on mankind. Washington.

The state or quality of being better; melioration. [Obs.] Bacon.

To alter for the better; to set right; to reform; hence, to quicken; as, to mend one's manners or pace. The best service they could do the state was to mend the lives of the persons who composed it. Sir W. Temple.

Cause of misery; calamity; misfortune. When we our betters see bearing our woes, We scarcely think our miseries our foes. Shak.

ulace, or the lowest part of it. A cluster of mob were making themselves merry with their betters. Addison.

ping corolla. Gray. -- Monkey gaff (Naut.), a light gaff attached to the topmast for the better display of signals at sea. -- Monkey jacket, a short closely fitting jacket, worn by sailors. -- Monkey rail (Naut.), a second and lighter rail raised about six inches above the quarter rail of a ship. -- Monkey shine, m…

To give a moral quality to; to affect the moral quality of, either for better or worse. Good and bad stars moralize not our actions. Sir T. Browne.

ng to, a group of modern economists who hold to the Malthusianism doctrine that permanent betterment of the general standard of living is impossible without decrease of competition by limitation of the number of births. -- Ne`o- Mal*thu"sian, Ne`o-Mal*thu"sian*ism, n.

y begun or made; having the state or quality of original freshness; also, changed for the better; renovated; unworn; untried; unspent; as, rest and travel made him a new man. Steadfasty purposing to lead a new life. Bk. of Com. Prayer. Men after long emaciating diets, fat, and almost new. Bacon.

The power of smelling; hence, scent. We are not offended with a dog for a better nose than his master. Collier.

e water rail. [Prov. Eng.] -- Spoon oar, an oar having the blade so curved as to afford a better hold upon the water in rowing. -- To boat the oars, to cease rowing, and lay the oars in the boat. -- To feather the oars. See under Feather., v. t. -- To lie on the oars, to cease pulling, raising the oars out of water,…

or keep for use; to possess. Woe occupieth the fine [/end] of our gladness. Chaucer. The better apartments were already occupied. W. Irving .

s; differently; contrarily. Chaucer. Thy father was a worthy prince, And merited, alas! a better fate; But Heaven thought otherwise. Addison.

To excel or defeat in a game; to play better than; as, to be outplayed in tennis or ball.

To excel or surpass in reasoning; to reason better than. South.

To get the better of; to surmount; to conquer; to subdue; as, to overcome enemies in battle. This wretched woman overcome Of anguish, rather than of crime, hath been. Spenser.

To deceive, or get the better of, by artifice or cunning; to outwit; to cheat. Shak.

expended; due return for money laid out; a good bargain; a bargain. The priests sold the better pennyworths. Locke.