better
Preserved but no longer current.
Also seen as: betta
Meaning · English
More; "how far is it to town?" "Oh, BETTER ’n a mile."—Saxon and Old English, now a vulgarism.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “better” mean?
More; "how far is it to town?" "Oh, BETTER ’n a mile."—Saxon and Old English, now a vulgarism.
Is “better” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.