best

Multiple Entries:
  best    good    well  

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
best/best/

▶adjective of the most excellent or desirable type or quality.

■ most appropriate, advantageous, or well advised.

▶adverb to the highest degree; most.

■ to the highest standard.

■ most suitably, appropriately, or usefully.

▶noun (the best) that which is the most excellent or desirable.

■ (one's best) the highest standard or level attainable.

■ (in sport) a record performance.

▶verb informal outwit or get the better of.

– phrases
all the best best wishes.
at best taking the most optimistic view.
be for the best be desirable in the end, although not at first seeming so.
best of breed the animal in a show judged to be the best representative of its breed.

■ any item or product considered to be the best of its kind.

the best of three (or five etc.) victory achieved by winning the majority of a specified odd number of games.
the best part of most of.
best wishes an expression of hope for someone's future happiness.
get the best of overcome (someone).
give someone/thing best Brit. admit the superiority of someone or something.
had best would find it most sensible.
make the best of derive what limited advantage one can from (something unsatisfactory).
six of the best Brit. a caning as a punishment, traditionally with six strokes of the cane.

– origin OE betest (adj.), betost (adv.), of Gmc origin.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
good/ɡʊd/

▶adjective (better, best)

• 1 to be desired or approved of; pleasing.

  ■ (good for) beneficial to.

  ■ expressing good wishes on meeting: good morning.

• 2 having the required qualities; of a high standard.

  ■ (often good at) skilled at doing or dealing with a specified thing.

  ■ appropriate.

  ■ (of language) with correct grammar and pronunciation.

  ■ strictly adhering to the principles of a religion or cause: a good Catholic girl.

• 3 morally right; virtuous.

  ■ (of a child) obedient; well behaved.

• 4 enjoyable or satisfying: a good time.

  ■ (of clothes) smart and formal.

• 5 thorough: a good look around.

  ■ at least; no less than: a good twenty years.

• 6 chiefly N. Amer. (of a ticket) valid.

▶noun

• 1 that which is morally right; righteousness.

• 2 benefit or advantage.

– phrases
as good as —— very nearly or inevitably ——.
be any (or no or much) good have some (or none or a lot of) merit.
be to the good have a net profit or advantage.
do good

• 1 act virtuously, especially by helping others.

• 2 make a helpful contribution.

do someone good be beneficial, especially to health.
for good forever.
(as) good as gold (of a child) extremely well behaved.
the Good Book the Bible.
good for (or on) you! well done!
the Good Shepherd a name for Jesus.
a good word words in recommendation or defence of a person.
in good time

• 1 with no risk of being late.

• 2 (also all in good time) in due course but without haste.

make good be successful.
make something good

• 1 compensate for loss, damage, or expense.

• 2 fulfil a promise or claim.

take something in good part not be offended.
up to no good doing something wrong.

– origin OE gōd, of Gmc origin.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
well1

▶adverb (better, best)

• 1 in a good or satisfactory way.

  ■ in a condition of prosperity or comfort.

  ■ archaic luckily; opportunely: hail fellow, well met.

• 2 in a thorough manner.

  ■ to a great extent or degree; very much.

  ■ Brit. informal very; extremely: he was well out of order.

• 3 very probably; in all likelihood.

  ■ without difficulty.

  ■ with good reason.

▶adjective (better, best)

• 1 in good health; free or recovered from illness.

  ■ in a satisfactory state or position.

• 2 sensible; advisable.

▶exclamation used to express surprise, anger, resignation, etc., or when pausing in speech.

– phrases
as well

• 1 in addition; too.

• 2 (as well or just as well) with equal reason or an equally good result.

  ■ sensible, appropriate, or desirable.

be well out of Brit. informal be fortunate to be no longer involved in.
be well up on (or in) know a great deal about.
leave (or let) well (N. Amer. enough) alone refrain from interfering with or trying to improve something.
very well used to express agreement or understanding.
well and truly completely.

– derivatives
wellness noun.

– origin OE wel(l), of Gmc origin; prob. rel. to the verb will1.

usage: The adverb well is often used in combination with past participles to form adjectival compounds. The general stylistic principle for hyphenation is that if the adjectival compound is placed attributively (i.e. before the noun), it should be hyphenated (a well-intentioned remark) but that if it is placed predicatively (i.e. standing alone after the verb), it should not be hyphenated (her remarks were well intentioned). In this dictionary, the unhyphenated form is generally the only one given.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
well2

▶noun

• 1 a shaft sunk into the ground to obtain water, oil, or gas.

  ■ a depression made to hold liquid.

• 2 a plentiful source or supply: a deep well of sympathy.

• 3 an enclosed space in the middle of a building, giving room for stairs or a lift or allowing light or ventilation.

• 4 Brit. the place in a law court where the clerks and ushers sit.

• 5 Physics a region of minimum potential.

• 6 archaic a water spring or fountain.

▶verb (often well up) (of a liquid) rise up to the surface and spill or be about to spill.

■ (of an emotion) develop and become more intense.

– origin OE wella, of Gmc origin.