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best
best / best/ superlative of good. • adj. of the most excellent, effective, or desirable type or quality: the best pitcher in the league. ∎ most enjoyable: some of the best times of my life. ∎ most appropriate, advantageous, or well advised: do whatever you think best. • adv. superlative of well1 . ∎ to the highest degree; most: the one we liked best. ∎ most excellently or effectively: the best-dressed man in Hollywood. ∎ most suitably, appropriately, or usefully: this is best done at home. • n. (usu. the best) that which is the most excellent, outstanding, or desirable: buy the best you can afford Sarah always had to be the best at everything. ∎ the most meritorious aspect of a thing or person: he brought out the best in people. ∎ (one's best) the peak of condition; the highest standard or level that a person or thing can reach: this is jazz at its best try to look your best. ∎ (one's best) one's finest or most formal clothes: she dressed in her best. ∎ (in sports) a record of a specified kind, esp. a personal one: a personal best. • v. [tr.] inf. outwit or get the better of (someone): she refused to allow herself to be bested. PHRASES: all the best said or written to wish a person well on ending a letter or parting. as best one can (or may) as effectively as possible under the circumstances: I went about my job as best I could. at best taking the most optimistic or favorable view: signs of recovery are patchy at best. be for (or all for) the best be desirable in the end, although not at first seeming so. the best of friends very good friends. the best of three (or five, etc.) victory achieved by winning the majority of a specified (usually odd) number of games. the best part of most of: it took them the best part of 10 years. best wishes an expression of hope for someone's future happiness or welfare: we sent our best wishes for a speedy recovery. ∎ written at the end of a letter: Best wishes, Celia. one's best years the most vigorous and productive period of one's life; one's prime: he had spent the best years of his life working at the stables. do (or try) one's best do all one can: Ruth did her best to reassure her. get the best of overcome (someone): his drinking got the best of him and he was fired. had best do something find it most sensible or well advised to do the thing mentioned: I'd best be going. make the best of derive what limited advantage one can from (something unsatisfactory or unwelcome): you'll just have to make the best of the situation. ∎ use (resources) as well as possible: he tried to make the best of his talents. to the best of one's ability (or knowledge) as far as one can do or know: the text is free of factual errors, to the best of my knowledge. with the best of them as well or as much as anyone: he'll be out there dancing with the best of them. |
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Cite this article
"best." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "best." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-best010.html "best." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-best010.html |
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best
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T. F. HOAD. "best." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "best." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-best.html T. F. HOAD. "best." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-best.html |
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best
best
•abreast, arrest, attest, beau geste, behest, bequest, best, blessed, blest, breast, Brest, Bucharest, Budapest, celeste, chest, contest, crest, digest, divest, guest, hest, infest, ingest, jest, lest, Midwest, molest, nest, northwest, pest, prestressed, protest, quest, rest, self-addressed, self-confessed, self-possessed, southwest, suggest, test, Trieste, unaddressed, unexpressed, unimpressed, unpressed, unstressed, vest, west, wrest, zest
•manifest • talkfest • Hammerfest
•Almagest • backrest • armrest
•redbreast • headrest • imprest
•chimney breast • footrest • firecrest
•incest • palimpsest • unprocessed
•road test • undervest • conquest
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"best." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "best." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-best.html "best." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-best.html |
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BEST
BEST (bɛst) British Expertise in Science and Technology (database)
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Cite this article
FRAN ALEXANDER , PETER BLAIR , JOHN DAINTITH , ALICE GRANDISON , VALERIE ILLINGWORTH , ELIZABETH MARTIN , ANNE STIBBS , JUDY PEARSALL , and SARA TULLOCH. "BEST." The Oxford Dictionary of Abbreviations. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. FRAN ALEXANDER , PETER BLAIR , JOHN DAINTITH , ALICE GRANDISON , VALERIE ILLINGWORTH , ELIZABETH MARTIN , ANNE STIBBS , JUDY PEARSALL , and SARA TULLOCH. "BEST." The Oxford Dictionary of Abbreviations. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O25-BEST.html FRAN ALEXANDER , PETER BLAIR , JOHN DAINTITH , ALICE GRANDISON , VALERIE ILLINGWORTH , ELIZABETH MARTIN , ANNE STIBBS , JUDY PEARSALL , and SARA TULLOCH. "BEST." The Oxford Dictionary of Abbreviations. 1998. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O25-BEST.html |
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