Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

   Note: In the ancient phrases, all too dear, all too much, all
         so long, etc., this word retains its appropriate sense
         or becomes intensive.

   2. Even; just. (Often a mere intensive adjunct.) [Obs. or
      Poet.]

            All as his straying flock he fed.     --Spenser.

            A damsel lay deploring All on a rock reclined.
                                                  --Gay.

   {All to}, or {All-to}. In such phrases as ``all to rent,''
      ``all to break,'' ``all-to frozen,'' etc., which are of
      frequent occurrence in our old authors, the all and the to
      have commonly been regarded as forming a compound adverb,
      equivalent in meaning to entirely, completely, altogether.
      But the sense of entireness lies wholly in the word all
      (as it does in ``all forlorn,'' and similar expressions),
      and the to properly belongs to the following word, being a
      kind of intensive prefix (orig. meaning asunder and
      answering to the LG. ter-, HG. zer-). It is frequently to
      be met with in old books, used without the all. Thus
      Wyclif says, ``The vail of the temple was to rent:'' and
      of Judas, ``He was hanged and to-burst the middle:'' i.
      e., burst in two, or asunder.

   {All along}. See under {Along}.

   {All and some}, individually and collectively, one and all.
      [Obs.] ``Displeased all and some.'' --Fairfax.

   {All but}.
      (a) Scarcely; not even. [Obs.] --Shak.
      (b) Almost; nearly. ``The fine arts were all but
          proscribed.'' --Macaulay.

   {All hollow}, entirely, completely; as, to beat any one all
      hollow. [Low]

   {All one}, the same thing in effect; that is, wholly the same
      thing.

   {All over}, over the whole extent; thoroughly; wholly; as,
      she is her mother all over. [Colloq.]

   {All the better}, wholly the better; that is, better by the
      whole difference.

   {All the same}, nevertheless. ``There they [certain
      phenomena] remain rooted all the same, whether we
      recognize them or not.'' --J. C. Shairp. ``But Rugby is a
      very nice place all the same.'' --T. Arnold. -- See also
      under {All}, n.

Better \Bet"ter\, a.; 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 under {All}, adv.

   {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 under {Had}).

   Note: 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.'' (--Gower.) 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.