Part 1084

<syn>Syn. -- To improve; meliorate; ameliorate; mend; amend; correct; emend; reform; advance; promote.</syn>

<h1>Better</h1> <Xpage=141>

<hw>Bet"ter</hw>, <tt>v. i.</tt> <def>To become better; to improve.</def>

<i>Carlyle.</i>

<h1>Better</h1> <Xpage=141>

<hw>Bet"ter</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>One who bets or lays a wager.</def>

<h1>Betterment</h1> <Xpage=141>

<hw>Bet"ter*ment</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>A making better; amendment; improvement.</def>

<i> W. Montagu.</i>

<p><b>2.</b> <fld>(Law)</fld> <def>An improvement of an estate which renders it better than mere repairing would do; -- generally used in the plural.</def> <mark>[U. S.]</mark>

<i>Bouvier.</i>

<h1>Bettermost</h1> <Xpage=141>

<hw>Bet"ter*most`</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Best.</def> <mark>[R.]</mark> "The <i>bettermost</i> classes."

<i>Brougham.</i>

<h1>Betterness</h1> <Xpage=141>

<hw>Bet"ter*ness</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>The quality of being better or superior; superiority.</def> <mark>[R.]</mark>

<i>Sir P. Sidney.</i>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>The difference by which fine gold or silver exceeds in fineness the standard.</def>

<h1>Bettong</h1> <Xpage=141>

<hw>Bet"tong</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Native name.]</ety> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <def>A small, leaping Australian marsupial of the genus <i>Bettongia</i>; the jerboa kangaroo.</def>

<h1>Bettor</h1> <Xpage=141>

<hw>Bet"tor</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>One who bets; a better.</def>

<i>Addison.</i>

<h1>Betty</h1> <Xpage=141>

<hw>Bet"ty</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <ety>[Supposed to be a cant word, from <ets>Betty</ets>, for <ets>Elizabeth</ets>, as such an instrument is also called <ets>Bess</ets> (i. e., <ets>Elizabeth</ets>) in the Canting Dictionary of 1725, and <ets>Jenny</ets> (i. e., <ets>Jane</ets>).]</ety> <def>A short bar used by thieves to wrench doors open.</def> <altsp>[Written also <asp>bettee</asp>.]</altsp>

<blockquote>The powerful <b>betty</b>, or the artful picklock. <i>Arbuthnot.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <ety>[<ets>Betty</ets>, nickname for Elizabeth.]</ety> <def>A name of contempt given to a man who interferes with the duties of women in a household, or who occupies himself with womanish matters.</def>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>A pear-shaped bottle covered round with straw, in which olive oil is sometimes brought from Italy; -- called by chemists a <i>Florence flask</i>.</def> <mark>[U. S.]</mark>