Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary полностью

16 PHRASE If you say that someone would be better off doing something, you are advising them to do it or expressing the opinion that it would benefit them to do it. □  If you've got bags, you're better off taking a taxi.

17 PHRASE If you go one better , you do something better than it has been done before or obtain something better than someone else has. □  Now General Electric have gone one better than nature and made a diamond purer than natural diamonds.

18 CONVENTION You say ' That's better ' in order to express your approval of what someone has said or done, or to praise or encourage them. □  'I came to ask your advice–no, to ask for your help.'—'That's better. And how can I help you?'

19 PHRASE You can say ' so much the better ' or ' all the better ' to indicate that it is desirable that a particular thing is used, done, or available. □  Use strong white flour, and if you can get hold of durum wheat flour, then so much the better.

20 PHRASE You can use expressions like ' The bigger the better ' or ' The sooner the better ' to say that you would prefer it if something is big or happens soon. □  The Irish love a party, the bigger the better.

21 PHRASE If you intend to do something and then think better of it , you decide not to do it because you realize it would not be sensible. □  Alberg opened his mouth, as if to protest. But he thought better of it.

22 PHRASE If you say that something has happened or been done for better or worse , you mean that you are not sure whether the consequences will be good or bad, but they will have to be accepted because the action cannot be changed. □  I married you for better or worse, knowing all about these problems.

23against your better judgment → see judgment

24to be better than nothing → see nothing

25the better part → see part ➊

bet|ter|ment /be tə ^r mənt/ N‑UNCOUNT The betterment of something is the act or process of improving its standard or status. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] His research is for the betterment of mankind.

bet|ting /be t I ŋ/ PHRASE If you say the betting is that something will happen or is true, you are suggesting that it is very likely to happen or to be true. □  The betting is that the experience will make Japan more competitive still.

be t|ting shop (betting shops ) N‑COUNT A betting shop is a place where people can go to bet on something such as a horse race. [BRIT ]

be|tween ◆◆◆ /b I twiː n/ In addition to the uses shown below, between is used in a few phrasal verbs, such as 'come between'. 1 PREP If something is between two things or is in between them, it has one of the things on one side of it and the other thing on the other side. □  She left the table to stand between the two men. □  Charlie crossed between the traffic to the far side of the street.

2 PREP If people or things travel between two places, they travel regularly from one place to the other and back again. □  I spent a lot of time travelling between London and Bradford.

3 PREP A relationship, discussion, or difference between two people, groups, or things is one that involves them both or relates to them both. □  I think the relationship between patients and doctors has got a lot less personal. □  There has always been a difference between community radio and commercial radio.

4 PREP If something stands between you and what you want, it prevents you from having it. □  His sense of duty often stood between him and the enjoyment of life.