1. of the highest quality, excellence, or standing: I do my best work after meditation.Singling out the student with the top GPA is not always the most effective way to find the best students.
2. most advantageous, suitable, or desirable: We've investigated a number of methods, but this is the best way.

3. most excellently or suitably; with most advantage or success: I think it will be an opera role that best suits her voice.
4. in or to the highest degree; most fully (usually used in combination): Shakespeare's best-known poems are his sonnets, but he also wrote narrative poems.Eleanor Roosevelt and Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy remain two of the United States' best-loved First Ladies.Your security system company can advise you about the features best suited for your home.

5. something or someone that is the most excellent, most suitable, of the highest quality, or the highest degree (often used with of): They always demand and get the best.The best of us can make mistakes.To the best of my knowledge, this was the first use of that word in print.
6. a person's finest clothing: It's important that you wear your best.
7. a person's most agreeable or desirable emotional state (often preceded by at): She's not at her best before her morning coffee, so you might want to wait a few minutes to talk to her.
8. a person's highest degree of competence, inspiration, etc. (often preceded by at): He's at his best when he works in a team.
9. the highest quality to be found in a given activity or category of things (often preceded by at): These gorgeous oak kitchen cabinets are an example of cabinetmaking at its best.
10. the maximum effort that a person, group, or thing can make: Their best fell far short of excellence.
11. a person's good wishes or kindest regards: Please give my best to your father.

12. to get the better of; defeat; beat: He easily bested his opponent in hand-to-hand combat.She bested me in the argument.

13. for the good as the final result; to an ultimate advantage: It turned out to be all for the best, though at the time we didn’t realize it.
14. in the best way possible under the circumstances: We tried to smooth over the disagreement as best we could.
15. under the most favorable circumstances: You may expect to be treated civilly, at best.
16. the most excellent or desirable parts of two things combined, especially two things that might otherwise be difficult to reconcile: With a quiet rural atmosphere and a short commute time into the city, this suburb is ideal for office workers who want the best of both worlds.
17. get / have the best of,
• to gain the advantage over.
• to defeat; subdue: His allergies get the best of him from time to time.
18. would be wisest or most reasonable to; ought to: You had best phone your mother to tell her where you are going.
19. to cope with in the best way possible: The rain makes it a lot harder to have a picnic, but we know how to make the best of a bad situation.
20. most of: Repairing the window took the best part of a day.
21. on a par with the most capable: He can play bridge with the best.

1. Canadian physiologist, born in the U.S.: one of the discoverers of insulin.

1. the superlative of good
2. most excellent of a particular group, category, etc
3. most suitable, advantageous, desirable, attractive, etc
4. most of
5. put one's best foot forward
• to do one's utmost to make progress
• to hurry

6. the superlative of well 1
7. in a manner surpassing all others; most excellently, advantageously, attractively, etc
8. in or to the greatest degree or extent; most
9. as effectively as possible within one's limitations
10. would be wise, sensible, etc, to

11. the most outstanding or excellent person, thing, or group in a category
12. the most excellent, pleasing, or skilled quality or condition
13. the most effective effort of which a person or group is capable
14. a winning majority
15. best wishes
16. a person's smartest outfit of clothing
17. at best
• in the most favourable interpretation
• under the most favourable conditions
18. for the best
• for an ultimately good outcome
• with good intentions
19. to surpass, defeat, or outwit; better
20. to concede someone's superiority
21. to cope as well as possible in the unfavourable circumstances of (often in the phrases make the best of a bad job, make the best of it)
22. six strokes with a cane on the buttocks or hand

23. to gain the advantage over or defeat

1. Charles Herbert . 1899–1978, Canadian physiologist: associated with Banting and Macleod in their discovery of insulin in 1922
2. George . 1946–2005, Northern Ireland footballer

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