Obs. Forms: 1–7 bet (3–6 bett, 4–6 bette). [Com. Teut.: OE. bęt = OFris. bet, OS. bat, bet (MDu. bat, bet, Du. bet-), OHG., MHG. baȥ (mod.G. basz), ON. betr, Goth. batis:—OTeut. *batiz adv., the uninflected comparative stem, whence was formed the adj. *balizon-, in OE. bętera, BETTER. In the adv. the comparative ending -iz underwent the same phonetic changes as the formative -iz of nouns, and was thus reduced to -e, or lost entirely before the OE. period. (Bęt, for the expected bęte, probably followed lęng, sęft, etc.) About the end of the OE. or beginning of the ME. period, bet(e)re, the neuter gender of the adj., began to be used, in certain constructions, in the place of bet, and, after a long existence side by side, gradually superseded it about 1600: instances of bet just before, and especially after, 1600 are archaisms. This encroachment of betere, beter, better upon bet began in phrases where the adj. and adv. are not easily separated, as in hit is bet or betere (positive ‘it is well’ or ‘good’), and gradually extended to others; the final ascendancy of better was doubtless helped by the fact that bet and other comparatives of the same type (e.g., leng, near) had not the ordinary comparative sign, and were thus less definite in expression. As in similar cases, during the time that bet and better were interchangeable as adverbs, bet was by compensation sometimes used for better as adjective.]

1

  I.  adv. (and predicative adj.)

2

  1.  The earlier form of BETTER, the comparative of WELL.

3

c. 888.  K. Ælfred, Boeth., xxiii. Ðæt se hwæte mæʓe ðy bet weaxan.

4

a. 1200.  Moral Ode, 15, in Trin. Coll. Hom., 220. Ich mihte habben bet idon.

5

c. 1205.  Lay., 28560. Wha dude wurse, no wha bet.

6

1297.  R. Glouc., 209. Hys men truste þe bet to hym.

7

1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. VIII. 123. Where do-wel, do-bet, and do-best ben in lond.

8

1393.  Gower, Conf., I. 126. One justeth wel, another bet.

9

1423.  James I., Kingis Q., ci. Ȝe knaw the cause of all my peynes smert Bet than myself.

10

1466.  Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1866), 109. And graunt me grace ai bett & bett.

11

c. 1570.  Thynne, Pride & Lowl. (1841), 20.

        There is no Auditor, ne Clerke of Check
  Can penne it bet then he, ne more at large.

12

1586.  Ferne, Blaz. Gentrie, 71. We dezerue full bet then they.

13

  2.  As predicate after be; interchanging with the neuter adj. betere. (In quots. 1386, 1575, its adjective function is distinct.) Cf. BETTER A. 4.

14

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 145. Him is wel … him is ec muchele bet þet is ilaðed from muchele wowe.

15

c. 1200.  Ormin, 5548. Þatt hemm baþe beo þe bett.

16

c. 1205.  Lay., 870. Hit is þe bet mid us.

17

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Pers. T., ¶ 465. Therfore saith a wise man, that ire is bet than play.

18

1430.  Lydg., Chron. Troy, I. vi. Bett were me to deye, Than liue ashamed.

19

c. 1575.  Gascoigne, Fruites Warre (1831), 209. I termed have all strife To be no bet than warres.

20

a. 1643.  W. Cartwright, Ordinary, in Dodsley (1780), X. 251. Sin it may be no bet now gang in peace.

21

  II.  absol. and quasi-sb.

22

  3.  The bet: the advantage; cf. BETTER A. 8.

23

c. 1340.  Cursor M., 7642 (Trin.). Wiþ þat folke soone he met And wiȝtly wan of hem þe bet [v.r. his dete].

24

1592.  Wyrley, Armorie, 118. It seemd the Frenchmen had the bet.

25

  4.  One’s bette: cf. BETTER A. 7. rare.

26

1494.  Fabyan, VII. ccxl. 281. No man I thought my bette.

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