The Oxford Thesaurus An A-Z Dictionary of Synonyms - bestadj.

1) superlative, unexcelled, finest, pre-eminent, first, superb, unsurpassed, superior, excellent, paramount, first-rate, Colloq A-1, A-one: Henry VIII was the best rider, the best lance, and the best archer in England. 2) kindest, most beneficent, nicest: Which of your brothers is the best to you? 3 foremost, choicest, pre-eminent, most suitable, most appropriate, most qualified, most talented, most desirable, most outstanding: We want the best person to fill the job. 4) largest, most, greatest: She had travelled the best part of the way by ship. 5) richest, wealthiest; first-class, upper crust, upper-class: He associates only with those he considers to be the best people. --n. 6) finest; first: The best is yet to come. 7) finery, best clothes, Colloq best bib and tucker: He was all decked out in his Sunday best. 8) greatest or maximum effort: He did his best but it wasn't enough to win. --adv. 9) most excellently, to the fullest extent, in the most suitable way, most adroitly, most skilfully, most superbly, most artistically: All the children performed well, but Alice performed best. 1) 0 with greatest satisfaction, most successfully: He who laughs last laughs best. --v. 1) 1 win (out) over, conquer, beat, surpass, overpower, get the better of, subdue, defeat, worst, vanquish, trounce, rout, crush, master, outdo, overwhelm, overcome, outwit: He was bested in three falls out of four.