better off
Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
better/ˈbetə(r)/
▶adjective
- 1 more desirable, satisfactory, or effective. [compar. of good (adjective).]
■ more appropriate, advantageous, or well advised.
- 2 partly or fully recovered from illness or injury. [compar. of well1 (adjective).]
■ to a greater degree; more.
■ more suitably or usefully.
▶noun- 1 that which is better; the better one.
- 2 (one's betters) chiefly dated or humorous one's superiors in social class or ability.
■ (better oneself) achieve a higher social position or status.
■ overcome or defeat (someone).
– phrases
one's better half informal one's wife, husband, or partner.
better off in a more advantageous position, especially in financial terms.
the better part of most of.
better than N. Amer. more than.
the better to —— so as to do the specified thing better.
for better or (for) worse whether the outcome is good or bad.
get the better of defeat or overcome.
go one better narrowly surpass.
had better would find it wiser to.
one's better half informal one's wife, husband, or partner.
better off in a more advantageous position, especially in financial terms.
the better part of most of.
better than N. Amer. more than.
the better to —— so as to do the specified thing better.
for better or (for) worse whether the outcome is good or bad.
get the better of defeat or overcome.
go one better narrowly surpass.
had better would find it wiser to.
– origin OE betera (adj.), of Gmc origin.
usage: In the verb phrase had better do something the word had is often dropped in informal spoken contexts, as in you better not come tonight. In writing, the had may be contracted to 'd but it should not be dropped altogether.
'better off' also found in these Oxford entries:
