best /best/

1. (serving as superl of good) good in the highest degree
2. First
3. Highest
4. Most excellent in any way

1. One's utmost endeavour, the limit of one's ability
2. The highest perfection
3. The most outstanding or finest example
4. The most advantageous or largest share, part, success or lot (as in the best of the bargain, the best of three games)
5. Best wishes (informal)
6. One's smartest clothing

1. (superl of well¹) to the highest degree of quality, excellence, etc
2. Better than anyone else

To win against, outdo or outwit

bestˈie noun (slang)

A best friend

bestˈ-ball adjective (golf)

Applied to foursomes, etc in which it is the lowest score at individual holes that is counted

best-before date noun

The date (stamped, etc on a package esp with the wording ‘best before (eg) 12 September’) up to which a manufacturer can guarantee the good quality of a consumer (usu food) product

best boy noun (esp N American)

The chief assistant to the head lighting electrician on a film or television production crew

best boy or best girl noun (informal)

A favourite friend of the opposite sex, a boyfriend or girlfriend

best buy noun

The most highly recommended purchase from those available

best end noun

A cut of lamb, etc from the part of the neck nearest the ribs

best maid noun (Scot)

A bridesmaid

best man noun

The groom's (male) attendant and ring-keeper at a wedding

best part noun

The larger part

bestsellˈer noun

1. A book, etc that has sold many copies, overall or in a given season
2. The writer of such a book

bestsellˈerdom noun

Bestsellers collectively, popular publishing

bestsellˈing adjective

Of a book, etc or author that is a bestseller

(all) for the best

Likely to have the best ultimate outcome

all the best see under all

as best one can

As well as one can

at best

Assuming the most favourable conditions

at the best of times

Even in the most favourable circumstances

for the best

1. Done with the best of intentions or outcome
2. See (all) for the best above

get or have the best of it

To gain the advantage in a contest

give someone best

To concede the victory to someone

had best see under have

make the best of

To obtain the best results from (a poor, unpromising, etc situation)

make the best of one's way

To go as fast as one can

put one's best foot forward see under foot

six of the best see under six

to the best of one's knowledge or belief or ability

As far as one knows, believes or is able

with the best (of them)

As successfully as anyone

good /gŭd/

1. Having suitable or desirable qualities
2. Promoting health, welfare or happiness
3. Virtuous
4. Pious
5. Kind
6. Benevolent
7. Well-behaved
8. Not troublesome
9. Of repute
10. Stout-hearted, able
11. Worthy
12. Commendable
13. Suitable
14. Adequate
15. Thorough
16. Competent
17. Sufficient
18. Valid
19. Sound
20. Serviceable
21. Beneficial
22. Genuine
23. Pleasing
24. Enjoyable
25. Favourable
26. (of a shot or play in tennis, golf, etc) made accurately
27. Ample, moderately estimated
28. Considerable, as in a good deal, a good mind
29. Able to be counted on
30. Financially or commercially safe or advisable
31. (from a range) of the better or best quality
32. Used in patronizing address or reference, as in my good man, your good lady (ie wife)

1. That which is morally or ethically right
2. Prosperity
3. Welfare
4. Advantage, temporal or spiritual
5. Benefit
6. Use
7. Virtue
8. Possessions (archaic)
9. (usu in pl) moveable property, chattels, merchandise, freight
10. Things bought and sold (eg machinery, clothing, foodstuffs, furniture), excluding currency, livestock, minerals, crops, land, buildings and services (business)
11. The subject matter of a contract of sale of goods, which excludes money or choses in action (qv under chose²) (law)
12. Tangible items produced by firms and in demand by individuals for consumption, or by firms as an input to their production processes (economics)

1. Well
2. Right
3. So be it

Well

goodˈiness noun

Weak, priggish or sanctimonious goodness

goodˈish adjective

Pretty good, of fair quality or quantity

goodˈliness noun

goodˈly adjective (goodˈlier; goodˈliest)

1. Comely, good-looking (archaic)
2. Fine
3. Excellent
4. Ample

1. Graciously
2. Excellently, kindly

goodˈlyhead or goodˈlihead noun (Spenser)

Goodness

goodˈness noun

1. Virtue
2. Excellence
3. Benevolence
4. Nourishment in food
5. Substituted for God in certain expressions, such as for goodness sake, and as an interjection

goodˈ-o or goodˈ-oh interjection

Expressing pleasure

1. Well
2. Thoroughly

goodˈy noun (pl goodˈies)

1. (usu in pl) a delicacy or sweetmeat
2. (usu in pl) something pleasant or desirable (usu facetious)
3. The hero of a book, film, or any character on the side of justice and fair play, etc (informal)
4. A goody-goody
5. Short for goodwife (archaic)

Expressing (esp childish) pleasure

Goody-goody

good afternoon noun and interjection

A salutation on meeting or parting in the afternoon

good breeding noun

Polite manners formed by a good upbringing

good-brothˈer, -fathˈer, -mothˈer, -sisˈter, -sonˈ noun (Scot; archaic or dialect; also gude-)

A brother-in-law, father-in-law, etc

goodbyeˈ noun or interjection

Farewell, a form of address at parting (formed from God be with you)

goodˈ-cheap adjective (archaic)

Cheap (literally, good-bargain)

good-condiˈtioned adjective

In a good state

good-dameˈ noun (obsolete Scot; also gude-dameˈ /güd- or gid-/)

A grandmother

good-dayˈ noun or interjection

A traditional salutation at meeting or parting, now rather formal or archaic, but in Australia a common greeting, usu shortened to g'day

good-denˈ (obsolete; from good-e'en), good-e'enˈ (archaic), good-eˈven (archaic) or good-eveˈning noun or interjection

A salutation on meeting or parting in the evening

goodˈfaced adjective (Shakespeare)

Having a handsome face

good faith see in good faith below.

good feeling noun

1. Friendly feeling
2. Convivial relations

goodˈfella noun (N American informal)

A gangster, esp a member of the Mafia

goodˈfellow noun

1. A jolly or favourite companion
2. A reveller

goodfellˈowship noun

1. Merry or pleasant company
2. Conviviality

good folk plural noun

Good people

goodˈ-for-nothing adjective

Worthless, useless

noun

An idle or worthless person

Good Friday see under Friday

good grief interjection

An exclamation of surprise, dismay or exasperation

good heavens interjection

An exclamation of surprise

good humour noun

Cheerful, tolerant mood or disposition

good-huˈmoured adjective

good-huˈmouredly adverb

good-huˈmouredness noun

good-King-Henˈry noun

A goosefoot used in cooking and sometimes grown as a pot-herb

good-lackˈ interjection (obsolete)

An expression of surprise or pity (prob a variation of good Lord, under the influence of alack)

goodˈ-liking see under like²

good-lookˈer noun (informal).

good-lookˈing adjective

Handsome, attractive

good looks plural noun

Attractive appearance

goodˈman noun

1. A yeoman (obsolete)
2. (usu with cap) formerly prefixed to the name of a man of yeoman's rank (fem goodˈwife; obsolete)
3. /gŭd-manˈ/ (chiefly Scot; archaic; also gude-) a householder or husband (fem goodwifeˈ)
4. The Devil (euphemistic)

goodman's croft noun

A patch once left untilled in Scotland to avert the malice of the Devil from the crop

good-mornˈing or (archaic) good-morrˈow noun and interjection

A salutation at meeting or parting early in the day

good nature noun

Natural goodness and mildness of disposition

good-naˈtured adjective

good-naˈturedly adverb

good-naˈturedness noun

goodnightˈ noun and interjection

A common salutation on parting at night or well on in the day

goodˈ-now interjection (obsolete or dialect)

An exclamation of wonder, surprise or entreaty

good offices plural noun

1. Mediation
2. Influence, agency

good oil noun (Aust informal)

Credible or reliable information

good people or good folk plural noun (euphemistic)

The fairies

good sailor noun

A person who tends not to suffer from seasickness

good Samaritan see Samaritan

goods engine noun

An engine used for drawing goods trains

good sense noun

Sound judgement

goods for own use plural noun (bookkeeping)

Stock taken by the owner of a business for his or her own private purposes, the sale price of which is debited to the owner's drawings account and credited to the sales account

goodsireˈ, also gudesireˈ /güd- or gid-/ or gutcher /gutˈshər/ noun (obsolete Scot)

A grandfather

goodˈ-sized adjective

(fairly) large

goods on approval plural noun (marketing)

Goods delivered and examined for a trial period before a decision to buy them is made

goods on consignment plural noun (marketing)

Goods delivered to an agent by a principal and sold on behalf of the principal

good-speedˈ noun and interjection (archaic)

A contraction of I wish you good speed (ie success)

goods received department noun (business)

One that deals with the reception of goods, and is responsible for checking the condition of goods on delivery, etc

goods received note noun (business)

A document completed by the storekeeper upon receipt of materials or goods from an outside supplier

goods train noun

A train of goods wagons

good-temˈpered adjective

1. Of a kindly disposition
2. Not easily made angry

Good Templar noun

A member of a temperance society, modelled on the Freemasons

goodˈtime adjective

1. Pleasure-seeking
2. (of music) purely for entertainment

goodˈ-timˈer noun

good turn noun

Something done for someone in a kind and helpful spirit or manner

goodˈwife (or /-wīfˈ/) noun

The fem of goodman

goodwillˈ noun

1. Benevolence
2. Well-wishing
3. The established trade, reputation, efficiency, popularity, and valuable personal relationships with customers, of a business or trade, often appearing as one of its (intangible) assets, with a marketable money value
4. In consolidated accounts, an intangible asset representing the difference between the acquisition price of a subsidiary and the fair value of its assets and liabilities at the time of acquisition (finance)

goodˈwill or (obsolete Scot) good-willˈy adjective

1. Well-wishing
2. Expressive of goodwill

good works plural noun

Acts of charity

goody bag noun

A bag containing a number of small gifts, given to people attending a party or promotional event

goodˈy-goodˈy adjective and noun

1. (a person) affecting a smug or obsequious show of virtue
2. (a person who is) insipidly benevolent or pious

as good as

1. The same as, no less than
2. Virtually

be as good as one's word

To fulfil one's promise

for good or for good and all

1. Permanently
2. Irrevocably

get (or have) the goods on (informal)

To obtain proof of someone's wrongdoing or criminal activity

good and (informal)

1. Very
2. Completely

good for anything

Ready for any kind of work

good for you

An interjection expressing approval (Aust informal good on you)

goodness of fit (statistics)

The extent to which observed data matches the values predicted by a theorem

goods and chattels see under chattel

in good faith

Honestly and without any intention to deceive (good-faithˈ adjective)

in someone's good books

In favour with someone

make good

1. To fulfil, perform
2. To compensate
3. To become successful, esp unexpectedly
4. To do well, redeeming an unpromising false start
5. To repair
6. To justify

no good

1. Useless
2. Futile
3. Worthless

not, hardly, etc good enough

1. Not sufficiently good
2. Mean, unfair, very different from what was expected or promised

stand good

1. To be lastingly good
2. To remain

the good

Virtuous people collectively

the Good Book

The Bible

the goods (slang)

1. The real thing
2. That which is required, promised, etc

think good (obsolete)

To be disposed, to be willing

to the good

1. For the best
2. On the credit or advantage side

up to no good

Doing something mischievous or wrong

well¹ /wel/

1. In good condition
2. In good health
3. Fortunate
4. Advisable
5. Satisfactory
6. Comfortable

Good health or fortune

1. Rightly
2. Skilfully
3. Thoroughly
4. Intimately
5. Favourably, successfully
6. Abundantly
7. With some degree of luxury
8. With reason or propriety
9. Conveniently
10. To a considerable extent
11. Clearly
12. Easily
13. Very possibly
14. Used as an intensifier, esp as combining form (eg (Shakespeare) ‘a well-accomplish'd youth’ and (slang) ‘well safe’, ie absolutely reliable, ‘well pleased’, ie very pleased)
15. So be it (said in assent; archaic)

Expressing surprise, hesitation, resignation, etc, or introducing resumed narrative

wellˈness noun

well-acquaintˈed adjective

Having intimate personal knowledge, familiar (with with)

well-adjusˈted adjective

Emotionally and psychologically well-balanced

well-advisedˈ adjective

1. Prudent
2. In one's right mind (Shakespeare)

well-affecˈted adjective

1. Well or favourably disposed (with to or towards)
2. Loyal

well-aimedˈ adjective

well-appointˈed adjective

Well-equipped

well-appointˈedness noun

well-balˈanced adjective

1. Having the parts properly adjusted for smooth working
2. Sane and sensible

well-becomˈing adjective

1. Befitting, appropriate to
2. Proper or suitable

well-behavedˈ adjective

Behaving or acting in accordance with propriety or with requirements

wellˈbeing noun

Welfare

well-beloved /-luvdˈ or -luvˈid/ adjective

Very dear

well-beseemˈing adjective

Befitting

well-beseenˈ adjective (obsolete)

Showy in appearance

well-bornˈ adjective

Born of a good family, not of humble birth

well-breathed /-brēdhdˈ or -brethtˈ/ adjective

1. Having strong lungs
2. Exercised
3. Not out of breath

well-bredˈ adjective

1. Having polite manners and good breeding
2. Of good stock

well-builtˈ adjective

(of a building, a person, a garment, etc) of strong or well-proportioned make or form

well-choˈsen adjective

(now esp of words in a speech) carefully assembled, felicitously chosen

well-condiˈtioned adjective

In good condition

well-conductˈed adjective

1. Properly managed
2. Acting properly

well-connecˈted adjective

Having friends or relatives in positions of importance or in the upper social strata

well-covˈered adjective

Plump

well-definedˈ adjective

Clearly and precisely determined

well-derivedˈ adjective (Shakespeare)

Of good stock or antecedents

well-deservedˈ adjective

1. Properly merited or earned
2. Condign

well-desiredˈ adjective (Shakespeare)

Much sought after

well-develˈoped adjective

Having developed to an advanced, elaborate, good, desirable, etc state

well-directˈed adjective

Skilfully aimed

well-disposedˈ adjective

1. Well-placed or well arranged
2. Inclined to be friendly (with to or towards)
3. Favourable
4. Healthy (obsolete)

wellˈ-doer noun

1. Someone who lives honourably or does good
2. Someone who thrives and is prosperous (dialect)

wellˈ-doing noun and adjective

well-doneˈ adjective

(of food, esp meat) thoroughly cooked (see also well done below)

well-dressedˈ adjective

Wearing stylish clothes

well-earnedˈ adjective

Thoroughly deserved

well-edˈucated adjective

Having had a good education

well-endowedˈ adjective (informal, facetious)

1. (of a man) having a large penis
2. (of a woman) having large breasts

well-enˈtered adjective (Shakespeare)

Instructed, initiated

well-famedˈ adjective (Shakespeare)

Very famous

well-faˈvoured or (Scot) weel-faird /wēl-fārdˈ/, weel-faur'd, weel-far'd /-fördˈ/, weel-far'tˈ or weel-faurtˈ /-förtˈ/ adjective

Good-looking

well-fedˈ adjective

1. Plump
2. Given nutritious food

well-formedˈ adjective

1. Shapely, well-proportioned
2. Correct according to the established rules of grammar (linguistics)
3. Corresponding or complying to set rules in a logical system

well-foundˈ adjective

1. Adequately provided, fully equipped
2. Commendable (obsolete)

well-foundˈed adjective

1. Built on secure foundations
2. Based on solid evidence or sound reasoning

well-givˈen adjective (obsolete)

Well-disposed

well-gotˈten adjective

Obtained honestly

well-gracedˈ adjective (Shakespeare)

Popular

well-groomedˈ adjective

Neat and smart in appearance

well-groundˈed adjective

1. Thoroughly instructed in the fundamentals
2. Firmly founded

well-heeledˈ adjective

Prosperous, rich

well-hungˈ adjective

1. Hung skilfully
2. (of meat) hung long enough to mature
3. (of a man) having sizeable genitals (informal)

well-informedˈ adjective

1. Having sound and sufficient information on a particular subject
2. Full of varied information

well-intenˈtioned adjective

Having, or arising from, good intentions or purpose

well-judgedˈ adjective

Correctly calculated, judicious

well-judgˈing adjective

well-keptˈ adjective

Carefully looked after, kept in good condition or order

well-knitˈ adjective

1. (of a person) strongly built
2. Closely and firmly connected, compact

well-knownˈ adjective

1. Fully known
2. Celebrated
3. Notorious

well-liˈking adjective (archaic)

In good condition, plump (see also liking under like²)

noun (obsolete)

Approbation, fondness

well-linedˈ adjective

1. With a good lining
2. Full of money

well-lookˈing adjective

Good-looking

well-madeˈ adjective

1. Cleverly and competently made, produced, constructed, etc
2. (of a person or animal) strongly built
3. Well-proportioned

well-mannˈered adjective

Polite

well-markedˈ adjective

Obvious, decided

well-meanˈing adjective

Well-intentioned (though often unwise)

well-meantˈ adjective

Rightly or kindly intended (if often misguided)

well-mindˈed adjective

1. Favourably inclined
2. Well-disposed

wellˈ-nigh adverb

Nearly, almost

well-offˈ adjective

Moderately wealthy (see also well off below)

well-oiledˈ adjective

1. Drunk (facetious)
2. Smoothly mechanical from much practice

well-ordˈered adjective

1. Correctly governed
2. Properly arranged

well-paddˈed adjective (informal)

Plump

well-placedˈ adjective

1. In a good position (for some purpose)
2. In a position senior enough or intimate enough to gain information, etc

well-pleasˈing adjective (old)

Acceptable

well-plightˈed adjective

Folded, plaited or pleated well (see plight¹)

well-preservedˈ adjective

1. In good condition, not decayed
2. Looking youthful or younger than one's age

well-proporˈtioned adjective

Having correct or pleasing proportions

well-readˈ /-redˈ/ adjective

Having read widely, well-informed on literature

well-regˈulated adjective

Well-ordered

well-respectˈed adjective

1. Highly esteemed
2. Given due consideration (Shakespeare, 1 Henry IV IV.3.10)

well-roundˈed adjective

1. Suitably curved
2. Symmetrical
3. Well constructed and complete
4. Satisfactorily developed in all essentials

well-seenˈ adjective (archaic)

Experienced, skilful

well-setˈ adjective

1. Properly arranged, or well-placed
2. Properly put together
3. Firmly fixed
4. Strongly built

well-set-upˈ adjective (informal; of a person)

Well-built, shapely

well-spentˈ adjective

Spent usefully or profitably

well-spoˈken adjective

1. Ready, courteous, educated or refined in speech
2. Spoken well or fittingly

well-stackedˈ adjective (informal; of a woman)

Having large breasts (see also stack¹)

well-temˈpered adjective

1. Good-tempered
2. Having a good bodily or mental constitution (obsolete)
3. (of steel, mortar, etc) tempered satisfactorily
4. Tuned in equal temperament (music)

well-thewedˈ adjective (obsolete)

1. Well-mannered, of good disposition
2. Abounding in moral wisdom

well-thoughtˈ-of adjective

Esteemed

well-thought-outˈ adjective

Reasoned soundly and arranged with skill

well-thumbedˈ adjective

(of a book) showing marks of much handling or repeated use

well-timˈbered adjective

1. Strongly built of wood
2. Well-built
3. Abounding in growing timber

well-timedˈ adjective

1. Opportune, timely, judicious
2. Keeping regular time
3. Done at the right moment

well-to-doˈ or (Scot and Shakespeare) well-to-liveˈ adjective

Prosperous, well-off

well-travelled adjective

(of a person) having made many journeys; (of a route) much frequented

well-triedˈ adjective

Tried often before, with satisfactory results

well-troddˈen adjective

Frequently followed or walked along, much used or frequented

well-turnedˈ adjective

1. Accurately rounded
2. Shapely
3. Felicitously expressed

well-upholˈstered adjective (facetious; of a person)

Plump, fat

well-warrˈanted adjective

Thoroughly justified

wellˈ-willer noun

A well-wisher

wellˈ-wish noun (rare)

An expression of good wishes

wellˈ-wished adjective (Shakespeare)

Being the object of good wishes

wellˈ-wisher noun

Someone who is concerned for one's welfare

wellˈ-wishing adjective and noun

well woman noun

A woman attending, and pronounced fit at, a well-woman clinic, set up to check women for gynaecological disorders and advise them on health matters

well-wonˈ adjective

Gained honestly or by hard endeavour

well-worked-outˈ adjective

Thoroughly or logically planned or developed

well-wornˈ adjective

1. Much worn
2. Trite
3. Becomingly worn (rare)

all very well

An ironic phrase used to introduce an objection to what has gone before

as well

1. In addition
2. Also
3. Equally satisfactorily

as well as

1. In addition to
2. No less than

be as well (or just as well) to

To be sensible to (do something)

do well

1. To prosper
2. To be wise (to do something)

just as well

Fortunate, lucky

leave (or let) well alone

Not to interfere in a situation that can be tolerated as it is

mean well

To have good intentions

very well

A phrase signifying assent, sometimes ironic

well and good

A phrase signifying acceptance of facts or a situation

well and truly

Completely, thoroughly

well away

1. Progressing rapidly
2. Far away
3. Drunk (slang)

well done

An expression of praise to someone who has accomplished something

well enough

In a moderate but sufficient degree

well in (informal)

1. On good or friendly terms (with with)
2. Prosperous (Aust)

well met see under meet¹

well now or well then

Phrases used to preface questions, conclusions, comments, or requests for such, or other remarks

well off

1. In satisfactory circumstances
2. Moderately wealthy

well out of (informal)

Fortunate to be free of (something)

well up in (informal)

Well versed in, well-acquainted with, knowledgeable on the subject of

well, well

An expression of surprise

wish someone well

1. To wish someone success or good fortune
2. To bear someone no ill will

• life-estate
• lumberjacket
• lumberjacks
• lumberly
• lumberman
• lumbermen
• lumber-mill
• lumber-mills
• lumber-pie
• lumber-pies
• lumber room
• lumber rooms
• lumbers
• lumbersome
• lumbersomeness
• lumbersomenesses
• lumber-yard
• lumber-yards
• lumbrical
• lumbricalis
• lumbrical muscle
• lumbricals
• lumbrici
• Lumbricidae
• lumbriciform