Best (root: well)

• POS: Adjective, Noun, Verb (transitive), Adverb

CIDE DICTIONARY

Best, a. [AS. besta, best, contr. from betest, betst, betsta; akin to Goth. batists, OHG. pezzisto, G. best, beste, D. best, Icel. beztr, Dan. best, Sw. bäst. This word has no connection in origin with good. See Better.].

•  Having good qualities in the highest degree; most good, kind, desirable, suitable, etc.; most excellent; as, the best man; the best road; the best cloth; the best abilities.  [1913 Webster]

  "When he is best, he is a little worse than a man."  [1913 Webster]

  "Heaven's last, best gift, my ever new delight."  [1913 Webster]
•  Most advanced; most correct or complete; as, the best scholar; the best view of a subject.  [1913 Webster]
•  Most; largest; as, the best part of a week.  [1913 Webster]

Best man, the only or principal groomsman at a wedding ceremony.

Best, n. 

 Utmost; highest endeavor or state; most nearly perfect thing, or being, or action; as, to do one's best; to the best of our ability.  [1913 Webster]

At best, in the utmost degree or extent applicable to the case; under the most favorable circumstances; as, life is at best very short. -- For best, finally. [Obs.] “Those constitutions . . . are now established for best, and not to be mended.” Milton. -- To get the best of, to gain an advantage over, whether fairly or unfairly. -- To make the best of. (a) To improve to the utmost; to use or dispose of to the greatest advantage. “Let there be freedom to carry their commodities where they can make the best of them.” Bacon. (b) To reduce to the least possible inconvenience; as, to make the best of ill fortune or a bad bargain.

Best, adv. 

•  In the highest degree; beyond all others.  Milton.  [1913 Webster]

  "He prayeth best, who loveth best
  All things both great and small."  [1913 Webster]
•  To the most advantage; with the most success, case, profit, benefit, or propriety.  [1913 Webster]

  "Had we best retire? I see a storm."  [1913 Webster]

  "Had I not best go to her?"  [1913 Webster]
•  Most intimately; most thoroughly or correctly; as, what is expedient is best known to himself.  [1913 Webster]

Best, v. t. 

 To get the better of.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Best, adj., adv., n., & v.
--adj. (superl. of GOOD) of the most excellent or outstanding or desirable kind (my best work; the best solution; the best thing to do would be to confess).
--adv. (superl. of WELL(1)).
1 in the best manner (does it best).
2 to the greatest degree (like it best).
3 most usefully (is best ignored).
--n.
1 that which is best (the best is yet to come).
2 the chief merit or advantage (brings out the best in him).
3 (foll. by of) a winning majority of (a certain number of games etc. played) (the best of five).
4 = Sunday best.
--v.tr. colloq. defeat, outwit, outbid, etc.

Idiom

all the best an expression used to wish a person good fortune. as best one can (or may) as effectively as possible under the circumstances. at best on the most optimistic view. at one's best in peak condition etc. at the best of times even in the most favourable circumstances. be for (or all for) the best be desirable in the end. best end of neck the rib end of a neck of lamb etc. for cooking. best man the bridegroom's chief attendant at a wedding. the best part of most of. best seller
1 a book or other item that has sold in large numbers.
2 the author of such a book. do one's best do all one can. get the best of defeat, outwit. give a person the best admit the superiority of that person. had best would find it wisest to. make the best of derive what limited advantage one can from (something unsatisfactory or unwelcome); put up with. to the best of one's ability, knowledge , etc. as far as one can do, know, etc. with the best of them as well as anyone.

Etymology

OE betest (adj.), bet(o)st (adv.), f. Gmc

THESAURUS

Best

aristocracy, barons, bear the palm, beat, beat all hollow, beat hollow, better, bottom, cap, champion, choice, chosen, clobber, conquer, cream, crush, cut, defeat, destroy, do in, drub, elect, elite, establishment, exceed, excel, excellent, exemplar, fat, finery, finest, first, first-class, first-rate, fix, flower, for the best, foremost, gem, giveaway, go one better, greater, greatest, half-price, handpicked, hide, highest, hors de combat, improve on, kindest, lambaste, largest, lather, lick, lords of creation, lowest, marked down, master, matchless, maximal, maximum, model, most, nobility, nonesuch, nonpareil, optimal, optimum, outclass, outdo, outfight, outgeneral, outmaneuver, outpoint, outrun, outsail, outshine, outstrip, outweigh, outwit, overbalance, overbear, overcome, overlapping, overpass, overpower, overtop, overwhelm, paragon, paramount, pattern, peerless, perfect, pick, picked, power elite, power structure, predominate, preponderate, prevail, prevail over, pride, prime, primrose, prize, put, queen, quintessence, quintessential, reduced, richest, rise above, rock-bottom, rout, ruin, ruling circles, ruling class, sacrificial, select, settle, skin, skin alive, slashed, subdue, superb, superior, superlative, supreme, surmount, surpass, surpassing, take the cake, the best, the best ever, the best people, the brass, the tops, the very best, thrash, tip-top, top, top people, top-notch, topmost, tower above, tower over, transcend, trim, triumph, triumph over, trounce, trump, undo, unexcelled, unmatchable, unmatched, unparalleled, unsurpassed, upper class, upper crust, uppermost, utmost, vanquish, very best, wealthiest, whip, win, worst

ROGET THESAURUS

Best

Goodness

N goodness, excellence, merit, virtue, value, worth, price, super-excellence, supereminence, superiority, perfection, coup de maitre, masterpiece, chef d'ouvre, prime, flower, cream, elite, pick, A, nonesuch, nonpareil, creme de la creme, flower of the flock, cock of the roost, salt of the earth, champion, prodigy, tidbit, gem, gem of the first water, bijou, precious stone, jewel, pearl, diamond, ruby, brilliant, treasure, good thing, rara avis, one in a thousand, beneficence, good man, harmless, hurtless, unobnoxious, innocuous, innocent, inoffensive, beneficial, valuable, of value, serviceable, advantageous, edifying, profitable, salutary, favorable, propitious fair, good, good as gold, excellent, better, superior, above par, nice, fine, genuine, best, choice, select, picked, elect, recherche, rare, priceless, unparagoned, unparalleled, superlatively, good, bully, crackajack, giltedged, superfine, superexcellent, of the first water, first-rate, first-class, high- wrought, exquisite, very best, crack, prime, tiptop, capital, cardinal, standard, inimitable, admirable, estimable, praiseworthy, pleasing, couleur de rose, precious, of great price, costly, worth its weight in gold, worth a Jew's eye, priceless, invaluable, inestimable, precious as the apple of the eye, tolerable, up to the mark, unexceptionable, unobjectionable, satisfactory, tidy, in good condition, in fair condition, fresh, sound, beneficially, well, Jewels five words long, long may such goodness live!, the luxury of doing good.

Perfection

N perfection, perfectness, indefectibility, impeccancy, impeccability, pink, beau ideal, phenix, paragon, pink of perfection, acme of perfection, ne plus ultra, summit, cygne noir, philosopher's stone, chrysolite, Koh-i-noor, model, standard, pattern, mirror, admirable Crichton, trump, very prince of, masterpiece, superexcellence, transcendence, perfect, faultless, indefective, indeficient, indefectible, immaculate, spotless, impeccable, free from imperfection, unblemished, uninjured, sound, sound as a roach, in perfect condition, scathless, intact, harmless, seaworthy, right as a trivet, in seipso totus teres atque rotundus, consummate, finished, best, model, standard, inimitable, unparagoned, unparalleled, superhuman, divine, beyond all praise, sans peur et sans reproche, to perfection, perfectly, ad unguem, clean, clean as a whistle, let us go on unto perfection, the perfection of art is to conceal art.