best: Meaning and Definition of

best

1. something or someone that is best: They always demand and get the best. The best of us can make mistakes.
2. a person's finest clothing: It's important that you wear your best.
3. a person's most agreeable or desirable emotional state (often prec. by at).
4. a person's highest degree of competence, inspiration, etc. (often prec. by at).
5. the highest quality to be found in a given activity or category of things (often prec. by at): cabinetmaking at its best.
6. the best effort that a person, group, or thing can make: Their best fell far short of excellence.
7. a person's best wishes or kindest regards: Please give my best to your father.
8. for the good as the final result; to an ultimate advantage: At the time it was hard to realize how it could be all for the best.
9. under the most favorable circumstances: You may expect to be treated civilly, at best.
10. His arthritis gets the best of him from time to time.
1. to gain the advantage over.
2. to defeat; subdue:His arthritis gets the best of him from time to time.
11. to cope with in the best way possible: to make the best of a bad situation.
12. on a par with the most capable: He can play bridge with the best.

1. to get the better of; defeat; beat: He easily bested his opponent in hand-to-hand combat. She bested me in the argument.

Best

1. 1899–1978, Canadian physiologist, born in the U.S.: one of the discoverers of insulin.