best

See also: Best and beśt

English

WOTD – 27 August 2010, 27 August 2011

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /bɛst/

  • Audio (US):

    (file)

• (Australia, New Zealand) IPA^(key): /best/

  • Audio (Australia):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛst

Etymology 1

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *bʰed-der.

Proto-Germanic *bataz

Proto-Germanic *batiz

Proto-Indo-European *-yōs

Proto-Indo-European *-tHós

Proto-Indo-European *-istos

Proto-Germanic *-istaz

Proto-Germanic *batistaz

Proto-West Germanic *batist

Old English bezt

Middle English best

English best

From Middle English best, beste, from Old English bezt, betest, from Proto-Germanic *batistaz.

Cognates

Cognate with Scots best (“best”), Cimbrian peste, péste (“best”), Dutch best (“best”), German beste (“best”), Yiddish בעסט (best, “best”), Danish bedst (“best”), Faroese bestur (“best”), Icelandic bestur, beztur (“best”), Norwegian Bokmål and Norwegian Nynorsk best (“best”), Swedish bäst (“best”), Gothic 𐌱𐌰𐍄𐌹𐍃𐍄𐍃 (batists, “best”).

Adjective

best (comparative (nonstandard, humorous) bester, superlative (nonstandard, humorous) bestest)

1. superlative form of good: most good.

   I can either be your best friend or your worst enemy.

   • c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii], page 163, column 1:

     […] when he is beſt, he is a little worſe then a man, and when he is worſt, he is little better than a beaſt:

   • 1667, John Milton, “Book V”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, line 19:

     Heav'ns laſt beſt gift, my ever new delight,

   • 2011 October 7, Lana Del Rey, Justin Parker, “Video Games”, in Born to Die, performed by Lana Del Rey:

     Swinging in the backyard
     Pull up in your fast car whistling my name
     Open up a beer
     And you say get over here and play a video game
     […]
     I say you the bestest
     Lean in for a big kiss, put his favorite perfume on
     Go play your video game

   • 2013 August 10, Schumpeter, “Cronies and capitols”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848:

     Policing the relationship between government and business in a free society is difficult. […] Governments have to find the best people to fill important jobs: there is a limited supply of people who understand the financial system, for example. But governments must also remember that businesses are self-interested actors who will try to rig the system for their own benefit.

   • 2025 July 19, Pacifik, “Country’s Calling”, in Wonderfool, performed by Pacifik:

     There's no common goal
     There's no common feeling
     To have the best house in the worst city

2. Most; largest.

   Unpacking took the best part of a week.

3. Most superior; most favorable.

   In my opinion, mushrooms are the best pizza toppings.

Usage notes

• The comparative gooder and superlative goodest derived from the positive good are nonstandard. In informal (often jocular) contexts, best may be inflected further and given the comparative bester and the superlative bestest; these forms are also nonstandard.

Synonyms

• optimal

Antonyms

• worst
• baddest (nonstandard)

Derived terms

• accidents will happen in the best regulated families
• alderbest
• as best as one can
• at best
• at one's best
• attack is the best form of defence
• attack is the best form of defense
• at the best
• at the best of times
• best and fairest
• best ball
• best before
• best before date
• best-before date
• best bet
• best bib and tucker
• best bitter
• best bower
• best boy
• best-by date
• best-case
• best-case scenario
• best case scenario
• best efforts
• best end
• bester
• bestest
• best evidence rule
• best form lens
• best friend
• best friend forever
• best gal
• best girl
• best in class
• best-kept secret
• Best Korea
• best laid plans
• best maid
• best man
• bestness
• best of
• best-of
• best of both worlds
• best of breed
• best of British
• best of British luck
• best off
• best of luck
• best of the bunch
• best on ground
• best-paid
• best parlour
• best part of
• best pleased
• best practice
• best regards
• best-seller
• bestseller
• best-selling
• bestshoring
• best thing since sliced bread
• best thing since sliced pan
• best wishes
• come off second best
• 'd best
• diamonds are a girl's best friend
• do one's best
• experience is the best teacher
• failure is the best teacher
• first best
• for best
• for the best
• give it one's best shot
• give one's best
• have the best of it
• he laughs best that laughs last
• he who laughs last laughs best
• honesty is the best policy
• hunger is the best pickle
• hunger is the best sauce
• hunger is the best seasoning
• hunger is the best spice
• inference to the best explanation
• it happens to the best of us
• laughter is the best medicine
• level best
• line of best fit
• live one's best life
• look one's best
• make the best of a bad bargain
• make the best of a bad job
• make the best of one's way
• man's best friend
• of the best water
• outbest
• personal best
• put one's best foot foremost
• put one's best foot forward
• revenge is a dish best served cold
• save the best for last
• second best
• six of the best
• sum of best
• Sunday-best
• Sunday best
• sunlight is the best disinfectant
• take one's best shot
• the best defence is attack
• the best defense is a good offense
• the best is the enemy of the good
• the best laid plans of mice and men go oft astray
• the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry
• the best things in life are free
• the best things in life aren't things
• the next best thing
• third best
• to the best of one's knowledge
• wife's best friend
• with the best
• with the best of them
• with the best will in the world
• work best under pressure

Translations

superlative of the adjective good

• Arabic: أَفْضَل m (ʔafḍal)
• Czech: nejlepší (cs)
• Finnish: paras (fi)
• French: meilleur (fr) m, meilleure (fr) f
• German: Beste (de) n
• Greek: καλύτερος (el) m (kalýteros)

  Ancient Greek: ἄριστος m (áristos)

• Hebrew: מֵיטָב (he) m (meytáv)
• Hindi: श्रेष्ठ (hi) (śreṣṭh)
• Hungarian: legjobb (hu)
• Icelandic: best
• Italian: migliore (it)
• Japanese: 一番 (ja) (ichiban)
• Korean: 최선 (ko) (choeseon)
• Kurdish:

  Northern Kurdish: baştirîn (ku)

• Latin: optimus (la)
• Malay: terbaik (ms)
• Māori: pai rawa atu
• Middle English: best
• Persian: خوبترین (fa) (xubtarin), بهترین (fa) (behtarin)
• Polish: najlepszy (pl)
• Portuguese: melhor (pt)
• Russian: лу́чший (ru) (lúčšij), наилу́чший (ru) (nailúčšij)
• Samoan: sili
• Sanskrit: श्रेष्ठ (sa) (śreṣṭha), वसिष्ठ (sa) (vasiṣṭha)
• Spanish: mejor (es)
• Tamil: சிறந்த (ciṟanta), மிகச்சிறந்த (mikacciṟanta)
• Thai: ดีที่สุด (tiisiisut)
• Tok Pisin: namba wan
• Ukrainian: найкращий (najkraščyj), найлі́пший (najlípšyj)

Adverb

best

1. superlative form of well: most well

   A popular aphorism says it best: A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

   • 1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 867–869:

     Out of my ſight, thou Serpent, that name beſt
     Befits thee with him leagu'd, thy ſelf as falſe
     And hateful;

   • 1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 65, line 1072:

     But had we beſt retire, I ſee a ſtorm?

   • 1797–1798 (date written), [Samuel Taylor Coleridge], “The Rime of the Ancyent Marinere”, in Lyrical Ballads, with a Few Other Poems, London: […] J[ohn] & A[rthur] Arch, […], published 1798, →OCLC:

     He prayeth best, who loveth best / All things both great and small.

   • 1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter VIII, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:

     At her invitation he outlined for her the succeeding chapters with terse military accuracy ; and what she liked best and best understood was avoidance of that false modesty which condescends, turning technicality into pabulum.

2. To the most advantage; with the most success, cause, profit, benefit, or propriety.

   You'd best save a backup copy, just in case the morons lose the one that you sent and then try to act like you never sent one.

   • 1854, Arthur Pendennis [pseudonym; William Makepeace Thackeray], The Newcomes: Memoirs of a Most Respectable Family, volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, […], →OCLC:

     Had I not best go to her?

Translations

superlative of the adverb well

• Esperanto: plej bone (eo)
• Finnish: parhaiten (fi)
• French: mieux (fr)
• German: am besten
• Hungarian: legjobban (hu)
• Italian: meglio (it)
• Japanese: 最もうまく (もっともうまく, motto mo umaku)
• Korean: 가장 잘 (gajang jal)
• Latin: optime (la)
• Middle English: best
• Polish: najlepiej
• Portuguese: melhor (pt)
• Sardinian: méglius
• Spanish: mejor (es)
• Swedish: bäst (sv)
• Tagalog: pinakamahusay, pinakamagaling

See also

• best off (adjective)

Noun

best (countable and uncountable, plural bests)

1. (uncountable, often used after possessive determiners) The supreme effort one can make, or has made.

   I did my best.

   My personal best in that race is eighteen minutes, four seconds.

   • 2011 September 28, Tom Rostance, “Arsenal 2 - 1 Olympiakos”, in BBC Sport‎^[1], archived from the original on 5 November 2011:

     Home defender Per Mertesacker had to be at his best to stop a dangerous cross from Vassilis Torossidis reaching Djebbour, but moments later Arsenal doubled their lead through Santos.

2. (uncountable, often used after possessive determiners) One's best behavior.

   I was somewhat distant lately, and my lady promised me head every Tuesday of the week when I’m nice to her, so I better be on my best.

3. (countable, often used after definite article) The person (or persons; or thing or things) that is (are) most excellent.

   Even the best of us makes mistakes, but only a few with the best of intentions...

   We're (the) best of friends, who fortunately enjoy the best of health.

   I love it so much! It's the best.

   • 1994, Otis L. Guernsey, Jeffrey Sweet, The Best Plays of 1993-1994, page vii:

     Mel Gussow reviews the bests of off off Broadway

   • 1995 October, Cincinnati Magazine, page 5:

     But in true Cincinnati style, the bests consistently outnumber the worsts.

   • 2011, G. Edward Evans, Sheila S. Intner, Jean Riddle Weihs, Introduction to Technical Services, page 149:

     There are the bests for each institution, the bests for coalitions, and, of course, the bests for the group as a whole.

   • 2013, Jesse Jose, Collections Of My Best And Most-Hated, "A Cup O' Kapeng Barako" Writings, page 209:

     If he's one of the bests, he should be fighting the bests, NOT the pipitsugins.

Derived terms

• first best
• hope for the best, prepare for the worst
• level best
• personal best

Translations

effort

• Finnish: paras (fi), parhain (fi)
• French: mieux (fr) m
• German: Bestes (de) n
• Hungarian: minden tőle telhetőt megtesz, kitesz magáért
• Irish: dícheall m
• Japanese: ベスト (ja) (besuto)
• Korean: 베스트 (beseuteu)
• Kurdish:

  Northern Kurdish: baştirîn (ku)

• Norwegian: beste (no)
• Russian: всё возмо́жное n (vsjo vozmóžnoje), лу́чший (ru) (lúčšij)
• Slovak: vrchol, maximum
• Swedish: bästa (sv)
• Turkish: en iyisi

person

• Finnish: paras (fi), parhain (fi), parhaimmisto (fi)
• French: élite (fr), fleur (fr), crème (fr), dessus du panier (fr), meilleur (fr)
• Friulian: miôr
• Galician: elite f
• German: Bester (de) m, Beste (de) f
• Italian: migliore (it)
• Norwegian: best (no)
• Portuguese: melhor (pt) m
• Russian: лу́чший (ru) m (lúčšij)
• Spanish: élite (es), flor (es), nata (es)
• Swedish: bästa (sv), bäste (sv)
• Turkish: en iyisi

Verb

best (third-person singular simple present bests, present participle besting, simple past and past participle bested)

1. (transitive) To surpass in skill or achievement.
2. (transitive) To beat in a contest.
   • 1944 July and August, Charles E. Lee, “The "City of Truro"”, in Railway Magazine, pages 201–202:

     The Norddeutscher Lloyd steamship Kronprinz Wilhelm left New York on May 3 [1904], at 3.10 p.m. and reached Plymouth Sound on May 9 at 8 a.m. This was then a very fast crossing of the Atlantic, but it was not the record. The same ship had held the "Blue Riband" in 1902, but had been slightly bested by the Kaiser Wilhelm II, a larger vessel of the same line, in 1903, and that stood as the record until the Cunard Line secured the honours in 1909 with the Mauretania and held them for an unbroken period of 20 years.

   • 2010, T. William Phillips, Restless Heart, page 16:

     "You did not win because I was sloppy. You bested me, Uncle. I've never seen you fight like that before.”

Conjugation

Conjugation of best

infinitive	(to) best
	present tense	past tense
1st-person singular	best	bested
2nd-person singular
3rd-person singular	bests
plural	best
subjunctive	best	bested
imperative	best	—
participles	besting	bested

Antonyms

• worst

Derived terms

• unbested

Translations

to beat

• Bulgarian: вземам връх над (vzemam vrăh nad)
• Czech: porazit (cs)
• Dutch: slaan (nl), overmeesteren (nl), verslaan (nl), overwinnen (nl)
• Finnish: päihittää (fi)
• French: battre (fr), vaincre (fr), surpasser (fr), enfoncer (fr), écraser (fr), aplatir (fr), dominer (fr), défaire (fr)
• German: übertreffen (de), besiegen (de), schlagen (de), überlegen sein
• Italian: superare (it), dominare (it), vincere (it), battere (it)
• Māori: tārū
• Norwegian: slå (no)
• Russian: превзойти́ (ru) pf (prevzojtí), победи́ть (ru) pf (pobedítʹ)
• Slovak: poraziť
• Spanish: sobrepasar (es), superar (es), vencer (es), rebasar (es), derrotar (es), aventajar (es)
• Swedish: besegra (sv)
• Turkish: aşmak (tr), geçmek (tr)

Derived terms

• all for the best
• all the best
• as best one can
• at best
• best of the best
• for one's best
• get the best of
• had best
• have the best of
• make the best of
• the best part of
• with the best (of them)

Related terms

• better
• bestest

Etymology 2

Shortening of had best

Verb

best

1. (modal, colloquial) Had best.

   It's getting late. You best get on home.

   • 1935, Edward Joseph O'Brien, John Cournos, editors, The Best British Short Stories of 1935, page 37:

     'We best be going,' she said, looking at the clock.

   • 2010, Mary B. Morrison, Somebody's Gotta Be On Top:

     Brother, you best be gone when I return.

Usage notes

• Although it is sometimes considered an adverb, best is virtually synonymous with should in "We best be going," and ought to in "We best go." Should and ought are auxiliary verbs.

References

• “best”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
• William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin Eli Smith, editors (1895–1910), “best”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.

Anagrams

• BTEs, Bets, bets

Cornish

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle English beste (whence modern English beast), from Old French beste, from Latin bēstia.

Noun

best m (plural bestes)

1. animal

   Synonym: mil

2. beast

Derived terms

• best hwel (“working animal”)

Mutation

Mutation of best

radical	soft	aspirate	hard	mixed
best	vest	unchanged	pest	fest, vest*

* after 'th
Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Cornish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

References

• “best” in Cornish Dictionary / Gerlyver Kernewek, Akademi Kernewek.

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bɛst/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: best
• Rhymes: -ɛst
• Homophone: Best

Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch best, from Old Dutch *betst, from Proto-Germanic *batistaz, superlative of *gōdaz. Compare Low German best, English best, West Frisian best, German besten, Danish bedst.

Adjective

best

1. superlative degree of goed; best
2. fine, okay

   Mag ik buiten spelen? — Ik vind het best, als je maar voor het eten weer thuis bent.

   May I go and play outside? — It's fine with me, as long as you're back home again before dinner.

3. dear, venerable (in a polite address)

   Beste Piet, wij danken je voor 40 jaar trouwe dienst.

   Dear Piet, we thank you for 40 years of loyal service.

Declension

• (definite inflected form): beste

Synonyms

• (fine): prima

Derived terms

• allerbest
• bestbeklant

Descendants

• Afrikaans: beste
• Berbice Creole Dutch: besti
• Negerhollands: bes, best
• →? Sranan Tongo: besi

Adverb

best

1. quite, rather

   Ik heb het best naar mijn zin gehad. ― I rather enjoyed myself.

   Dat zou best kunnen. ― It's quite possible.

Etymology 2

Noun

best f (plural besten, diminutive bestje n)

1. (dated, chiefly diminutive) alternative form of bes (“old woman”)

Middle Dutch

Etymology

From Old Dutch *betst, from Proto-Germanic *batistaz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /best/

Adjective

best

1. best; superlative degree of goet

Adverb

best

1. best; superlative degree of wel

Descendants

• Dutch: best
  • Afrikaans: beste
  • Berbice Creole Dutch: besti
  • Negerhollands: bes, best
  • →? Sranan Tongo: besi
• Limburgish: bès

Middle English

Etymology 1

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *bʰed-der.

Proto-Germanic *bataz

Proto-Germanic *batiz

Proto-Indo-European *-yōs

Proto-Indo-European *-tHós

Proto-Indo-European *-istos

Proto-Germanic *-istaz

Proto-Germanic *batistaz

Proto-West Germanic *batist

Old English bezt

Middle English best

From Old English bezt, betest, from Proto-West Germanic *batist, from Proto-Germanic *batistaz (adjective), *batist (adverb).

Alternative forms

• beste
• betst, bettst, bezst (Early Middle English)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bɛst/

Adjective

best

1. best; superlative degree of good

Descendants

• English: best
• Scots: best

References

• “best, adj. (sup.).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 17 February 2019.

Adverb

best

1. best; superlative degree of wel

Descendants

• English: best
• Scots: best

References

• “best, adv. (sup.).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 17 February 2019.

Etymology 2

Noun

best

1. alternative form of beste

North Frisian

Verb

best

1. second-person singular present of wiis

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Old Norse beztr.

Adjective

best

1. indefinite singular superlative degree of god: best
2. indefinite singular superlative degree of bra: best

Derived terms

• bestselger
• bestselgende

References

• “best” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Old Norse beztr.

Adjective

best

1. indefinite singular superlative degree of god: best
2. indefinite singular superlative degree of bra

References

• “best” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Old Saxon

Alternative forms

• betst

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *batistaz.

Adverb

best

1. best

Plautdietsch

Verb

best

1. second-person singular present of sennen

Polish

Pronunciation

• (Masovia):
  • (Podlachia) IPA^(key): [ˈbɛst]

Noun

best m inan

1. (Podlachia, Tykocin) alternative form of bez

Further reading

• Jan Karłowicz (1900), “bez”, in Słownik gwar polskich [Dictionary of Polish dialects] (in Polish), volume 1: A do E, Kraków: Akademia Umiejętności, page 67

Portuguese

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *bʰed-der.

Proto-Germanic *bataz

Proto-Germanic *batiz

Proto-Indo-European *-yōs

Proto-Indo-European *-tHós

Proto-Indo-European *-istos

Proto-Germanic *-istaz

Proto-Germanic *batistaz

Proto-West Germanic *batist

Old English bezt

Middle English best

English best (friend)ubor.

Portuguese best

Unadapted borrowing from English best (friend).

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈbɛst͡ʃ/, /ˈbɛs.t͡ʃi/

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈbɛst͡ʃ/, /ˈbɛs.t͡ʃi/
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /ˈbɛʃt͡ʃ/, /ˈbɛʃ.t͡ʃi/

• Rhymes: -ɛsti

Noun

best m or f by sense (plural bests)

1. (Brazil, informal) bestie (best friend)

   Synonyms: bestie, BFF

Further reading

• “best”, in Dicionário inFormal (in Portuguese), 2006–2026

Scots

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [bɛst]

Adjective

best

1. superlative degree of guid

Derived terms

• ill-best (“best of a bad lot, best of a poor selection”)

Noun

best (plural bests)

1. groomsman

Swedish

Etymology

Ultimately from Latin bēstia.

Pronunciation

• Homophone: bäst

Noun

best c

1. beast

Declension

Declension of best

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	best	bests
	definite	besten	bestens
plural	indefinite	bestar	bestars
	definite	bestarna	bestarnas

Anagrams

• bets