| better | Compar. Of Good. [OE. Betere, bettre, and as adv. Bet, AS. Betera, adj, and bet, adv.; akin to Icel. Betri, adj, betr, adv, Goth. Batiza, adj, OHG. Bezziro, adj, baz, adv, G. Besser, adj. And adv, bass, adv, E. Boot, and prob. To Skr. Bhadra excellent. See Boot advantage, and cf. Best, Batful. 1. Having good qualities in a greater degree than another; as, a better man; a better physician; a better house; a better air. "Could make the worse appear The better reason." (Milton) 2. Preferable in regard to rank, value, use, fitness, acceptableness, safety, or in any other respect. "To obey is better than sacrifice." (1 Sam. Xv. 22) "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes." (Ps. Cxviii. 9) 3. Greater in amount; larger; more. 4. Improved in health; less affected with disease; as, the patient is better. 5. More advanced; more perfect; as, upon better acquaintance; a better knowledge of the subject. All the better. See All, Better half, an expression used to designate one's wife. "My dear, my better half (said he), I find I must now leave thee." (Sir P. Sidney) To be better off, to be in a better condition. Had better. (See Had). The phrase had better, followed by an infinitive without to, is idiomatic. The earliest form of construction was "were better" with a dative; as, "Him were better go beside." i. E, It would be better for him, etc. at length the nominative (I, he, they, etc) supplanted the dative and had took the place of were. Thus we have the construction now used. "By all that's holy, he had better starve Than but once think this place becomes thee not." (Shak) 1. To improve or ameliorate; to increase the good qualities of. "Love betters what is best." (Wordsworth) "He thought to better his circumstances." (Thackeray) 2. To improve the condition of, morally, physically, financially, socially, or otherwise. "The constant effort of every man to better himself." (Macaulay) 3. To surpass in excellence; to exceed; to excel. "The works of nature do always aim at that which can not be bettered." (Hooker) 4. To give advantage to; to support; to advance the interest of. "Weapons more violent, when next we meet, May serve to better us and worse our foes." (Milton) Synonym: To improve, meliorate, ameliorate, mend, amend, correct, emend, reform, advance, promote. Origin: AS. Beterian, betrian, fr. Betera better. See Better. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| administration, oral | The giving of drugs, chemicals, or other substances by mouth. (12 Dec 1998) |
| cancer, oral | Cancer of the mouth area. A sore in the mouth that does not heal can be a warning sign of oral cancer. A biopsy is the only to know whether as abnormal area in the oral cavity is cancer. Oral cancer is caused by tobacco (smoking and chewing) and alcohol use. Surgery to remove the tumour in the mouth is the usual treatment for patients with oral cancer. (12 Dec 1998) |
| candidiasis, oral | Infection of the mucous membranes of the mouth by a fungus of the genus candida. (12 Dec 1998) |
| canine oral papilloma | Warts affecting mucous membranes of young dogs; caused by a papillomavirus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| magnesia and alumina oral suspension | A mixture of magnesium hydroxide and variable amounts of aluminum oxide; used as an antacid. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pathology, oral | A dental specialty concerned with pathology of the oral cavity. (12 Dec 1998) |
| pharyngo-oral | Relating to the pharynx and the mouth; oropharyngeal. Origin: pharyngo-+ L. Os (or-), mouth (05 Mar 2000) |
| combination oral contraceptive | A mixture of a steroid having progestational activity and an oestrogen. (05 Mar 2000) |
| contraceptives, oral | Compounds, usually hormonal, taken orally in order to block ovulation and prevent the occurrence of pregnancy. The hormones are generally oestrogen or progesterone or both. (12 Dec 1998) |
| contraceptives, oral, combined | Fixed drug combinations administered orally for contraceptive purposes. (12 Dec 1998) |
| contraceptives, oral, hormonal | Oral contraceptives which owe their effectiveness to hormonal preparations. (12 Dec 1998) |
| contraceptives, oral, sequential | Drugs administered orally and sequentially for contraceptive purposes. (12 Dec 1998) |
| contraceptives, oral, synthetic | Oral contraceptives which owe their effectiveness to synthetic preparations. (12 Dec 1998) |
| poliovirus vaccine, oral | A live vaccine containing attenuated poliovirus, types I, II, and III, grown in monkey kidney cell tissue culture, used for routine immunization of children against polio. This vaccine induces long-lasting intestinal and humoral immunity. Killed vaccine induces only humoral immunity. Oral poliovirus vaccine should not be administered to immunocompromised individuals or their household contacts. (12 Dec 1998) |