BETTER1 better than someone or something else2 very much better than someone or something3 to reach a higher standard than someone or something else4 better than before5 to do something better than beforeRELATED WORDSoppositeWORSEbetter after an illness 病后康复RECOVERto make someone better when they are ill 使病人康复CUREbetter than someone in a game or competition 在比赛中胜过某人BEAT/DEFEATto make someone feel better 使某人感到好受些COMFORT/MAKE SB FEEL BETTERsee alsoBESTGOODIMPROVEPERFECTSUITABLECONVENIENT1 better than someone or something else 比某人或某物更好的better /ˈbetəʳ/ [adjective] We could either go to Florida or California -- which do you think is better? 我们可去佛罗里达或加利福尼亚，你觉得哪里更好？better than Your job is better than mine. 你的工作比我的好。 My sister is a better student than me. 作为学生我姐姐比我更好。 The sales figures were better than we expected. 销售额比我们预期的好。better at something/doing something Lucy's better at mathematics than I am. 露茜的数学比我好。far better/much better/a lot better His latest novel is far better than anything he's written before. 他最近的一部小说比他以往的任何作品都好。better quality Consumers are demanding lower prices, better quality, and a larger selection of goods. 消费者要求更低的价格、更好的质量和更丰富的品种。better [adverb] You can see much better from up here. 上来这里你能看得更清楚。 Ralph would be able to explain this a lot better than I can. 这个问题拉尔夫能比我解释得更清楚。superior /suːˈpɪəriəʳ, sjuː-ǁsʊ-/ [adjective]products, skills, or services that aresuperior are better than those that they are competing against 〔与相竞争的产品、技术或服务相比〕更好的，更强的 Our aim is to provide our clients with a superior service at all times. 我们的目标是时刻为顾客提供最优质的服务。 The company has a reputation for superior technology and customer loyalty. 该公司以高超的技术和顾客忠诚著称。superior to They claimed that a vegetarian diet was superior to a meat diet. 他们说素食比肉食更加有益于健康。superiority /suːˌpɪəriˈɒrɪti, suːˌpɪəriˈɒrəti, sjuː-ǁsʊˌpɪəriˈɔː-, -ˈɑː-/ [uncountable noun] Its chief selling point is the undoubted superiority of its after-sales service. 它的主要卖点是其毋容置疑的优质售后服务。of a higher standard/of higher quality /əv ə ˌhaɪəʳ ˈstændəʳd, əv ˌhaɪəʳ ˈkwɒltiǁ-ˈkwɑː-/ [adjective phrase]writtengoods or services that areof a higher standard orhigher quality are better than they were previously or better than goods or services of a similar kind 【书面】〔商品或服务〕水准更高的/质量更好的 In the mid-eighties, American consumers began to purchase more and more Japanese products, believing they were better value and of higher quality. 80年代中期，美国的消费者开始越来越多地购买日本商品，因为他们相信日本货价格更合算，质量也更好。of a higher standard/of higher quality than Government officials are claiming that the health care available here is of a much higher standard than in neighbouring countries. 政府官员声称本国的国民保健水准比邻国的高得多。beat /biːt/ [transitive verb not in progressive]informalto be much better and more enjoyable than something else 【非正式】比…好得多 Jake's home-made burgers beat anything you can get at fast-food restaurants. 杰克自制的汉堡包比快餐店里卖的要好得多。beat doing something It's not a particularly good job, but it certainly beats being unemployed. 这不是一份特别好的工作，但肯定比失业好多了。a cut above /ə ˌkʌt əˈbʌv◂/ [adjective phrase]informalclearly better than others of the same type 【非正式】比…高一等的 Musicians of the time admitted that the Ellington Orchestra was a cut above all others. 当时的音乐家都承认埃林顿管弦乐队是鹤立鸡群的。a cut above the rest The first applicant we interviewed was definitely a cut above the rest. 我们会见的第一个应征者显然比其他人更为优胜。have the edge on/over /hæv ði ˈedʒ ɒn, əʊvəʳ/ [verb phrase not in progressive]to be slightly better than something or someone else 稍微胜过have the edge on/over something Their new laptop computer seems to have the edge on the competition. 他们新推出的手提电脑好像比竞争对手的产品略胜一筹。have the edge on/over somebody Having spent a year in Brazil, she hoped she would have the edge over the other language students. 她在巴西住过一年，所以希望自己比其他学习语言的学生能稍微占些优势。have an advantage over /hæv ən ədˈvɑːntɪdʒ əʊvəʳǁ -ˈvæn-/ [verb phrase not in progressive]to be better, more effective, and more useful than something else, especially because of a particular feature 比…更好；比…更有效；比…更有用have an advantage over something The fact that this computer is so simple to use means that it has an advantage over most other systems. 这台电脑操作非常简单，这意味着它要优于大多数其他电脑系统。have a distinct advantage over somethinghave a clear advantage over something 比某物明显更好 For certain types of work, natural wood has distinct advantages over plastics. 对于某些制品来讲，木料明显比塑料好。be more than a match for /biː ˌmɔːʳ ðən ə ˈmætʃ fɔːʳ/ [verb phrase]to be much more skilful and more successful at doing something than someone else 技巧比…高得多；远比…成功be more than a match for somebody When it comes to TV debates, Senator Murphy's more than a match for any of his rivals. 谈到电视辩论，参议员墨菲比他的任何一个对手都要强得多。be more than a match for something The rebel army's tactics are more than a match for the nation's military forces. 叛军所采用的战术远比该国军队的战术高明。special /ˈspeʃəl/ [adjective]better than something of the usual type, for example by being more enjoyable, more useful, or of higher quality 特别的；与众不同的 I don't want an ordinary wedding. I want something special. 我不想举行一个平平常常的婚礼，想来点特别的。 Of my nine gold medals, this one is the most special. 我的九枚金牌当中，这一枚是最特别的。 Some aides privately complain that the Senator receives special treatment. 一些助手私底下抱怨说这位参议员得到了特别优待。2 very much better than someone or something 比某人或某物好得多be/stand head and shoulders above /biː, stænd ˌhed ənd ˈʃəʊldəʳz əbʌv/ [verb phrase]informalto be clearly doing very much better at something than someone else 【非正式】〔做某事〕比…好得多，远远胜过 Winger's stands head and shoulders above every other restaurant in town. 温格饭店比起镇上的所有其他饭店都要好得多。 Kander and Ebb are head and shoulders above the others writing for the musical theater these days. 要说现在为音乐剧院写剧本，坎德和埃贝比起其他人明显技高一筹。there's no comparison /ðeəʳz ˌnəʊ kəmˈpærsən/spokenuse this to emphasize that one person or thing is clearly much better than someone or something else 【口】没法比，好得多 ‘Which apartment do you prefer?’ ‘Well, there's no comparison. The first one we saw is bigger, quieter, and has much nicer furniture.’ “你喜欢哪一套公寓？”“嗯，根本没法比，我们看的第一套更为宽敞、安静，里面的家具也精美得多。put somebody/something in the shade /ˌpʊt somebody/something ɪn ðə ˈʃeɪd/ [verb phrase]Britishto be so much better than others that their achievements are made to seem ordinary 【英】令…黯然失色 Coca Cola's prize-winning advertising campaign has put all others in the shade. 可口可乐公司那获奖的广告宣传活动使其他公司的宣传活动黯然失色。 The generous response of the public to the disaster puts the government's contribution somewhat in the shade. 公众对这次灾难的慷慨反应使得政府的捐助有点黯然失色。eclipse /ɪˈklɪps/ [transitive verb]writtento be so much better than someone or something else that they are made to seem unimportant and not worth paying any attention to 【书面】使…失色；盖过 Channel 5‘s tremendous line-up of TV programmes has eclipsed its competitors’ best efforts. 第五频道的电视节目精彩丰富，其竞争对手精心制作的节目相比之下也都黯然失色。 Eclipsed by the US champion at last year's Olympic Games, Schofield has decided to retire. 由于去年在奥运会上被美国冠军的光芒所掩盖，斯科菲尔德已决定退出体坛。be in a different league /biː ɪn ə ˌdɪfərənt ˈliːg/ [verb phrase]if someoneis in a different league, they are so much better and more skilful than someone who does similar work that it would be stupid even to compare them 〔与同行相比〕首屈一指，超群绝伦 You can't possibly compare Thomas Hardy and Wilkie Collins - Hardy is in a different league. 你不能把托马斯·哈代与威尔基·柯林斯相比较，哈代高得多了。put somebody/something to shame /ˌpʊt somebody/something tə ˈʃeɪm/ [verb phrase]to be so much better than someone else that they feel slightly embarrassed by their own lack of skill or quality 使某人/某物黯然失色；使某人/某物相形见绌 The elegant way she was dressed put the rest of us to shame. 她那一身漂亮高贵的打扮令我们其他人相形见绌。 Acapulco is a cosmopolitan city with a nightlife that puts Rio to shame. 阿卡普尔科是个大都市，其夜生活之繁华让里约热内卢相形见绌。run rings around /ˌrʌn ˈrɪŋz əraʊnd/ [verb phrase]informalto perform with much greater skill than someone else in a competitive activity such as a sport or an argument 【非正式】〔在体育或辩论等竞赛活动中〕远比…技高一筹run rings around somebody It's no use arguing with Sophie -- she can run rings around anyone who disagrees with her. 和索菲辩论是徒劳的—她可以把任何不同意她观点的人驳倒。 Tottenham Hotspur are running rings around Arsenal in the most exciting cup final in years. 多年来在最紧张刺激的足总杯决赛中，托特纳姆热刺队的表现比阿森纳队强得多。be streets ahead /biː ˈstriːts əˌhed/ [verb phrase]British informalto be very much better than something of the same type or than someone you are competing with 【英，非正式】比〔同类事物或竞争对手〕好得多be streets ahead of The script is original and funny, streets ahead of any other situation comedy. 这个剧本既有独创性又有趣，比任何情景喜剧都要好得多。 We don't need to worry about this year's sales figures -- they're streets ahead of the competition. 我们不必为今年的销售数字担心—我们已经远远甩掉了竞争对手。leave somebody standing /ˌliːv somebody ˈstændɪŋ/ [verb phrase]Britishto be so much better at something than other people that they cannot possibly compete successfully with you 【英】远远胜过某人 It seems that in this campaign the Labour candidate has left the opposition standing. 这次竞选活动中，工党候选人看来已遥遥领先于对手。 Julie's an excellent typist -- her speed and accuracy leave the rest of us standing. 朱莉是个出色的打字员—她的速度和准确性令我们其他人望尘莫及。3 to reach a higher standard than someone or something else 比其他人或物达到更高的水平do better /ˌduː ˈbetəʳ/ [verb phrase] The British champion has completed the course in three minutes -- let's see if his Canadian rival can do better. 英国冠军三分钟内完成赛事——来自加拿大的选手能否表现得更加出色，我们拭目以待。do better than If you are saving 5 percent of your income each year, you're doing better than most people. 如果你每年把收入的5%存起来，经济状况就比大部分人要好了。 Harris argued that the economy is doing better than it was five years ago. 哈里斯认为目前的经济情况比五年前要好。outdo /aʊtˈduː/ [transitive verb]to do better than someone you are competing with, especially because you want to prove that you are better 比〔竞争对手〕做得更好，胜过〔尤因要证明自己更加出色〕 Kids always try to outdo each other in attracting the teacher's attention. 小孩子们总想比别人更能吸引老师的注意力。 Western Europe and Japan managed to outdo their American competitors in some economic areas. 西欧与日本在某些经济领域已超越了美国的竞争对手。outshine /aʊtˈʃaɪn/ [transitive verb]writtento be clearly more attractive, popular, or skilful than someone else 【书面】胜过，比…更出色〔优秀〕 The young Japanese violinist outshone every other musician at the concert. 那位年轻的日本小提琴家在音乐会上使其他的音乐家都相形见绌。 Kelly was outstanding and outshone every other player on the field. 凯利在场上的表现非常突出，使其他选手都相形见绌。outclass /aʊtˈklɑːsǁ-ˈklæs/ [transitive verb]to perform with much greater skill or success than someone or something else 远远胜过；比…成功得多 For the third time this season, Celtic outclassed their local rivals, Rangers, last night. 凯尔特人队昨晚击败了本市对手流浪者队，这已是本季第三次了。 There's never been a jet engine to outclass the Rolls Royce Avon. 还没有一种喷气发动机能与劳斯莱斯埃文发动机相媲美。outstrip /aʊtˈstrɪp/ [transitive verb]to do very much better than someone or something else, especially when the person or thing you are competing with used to be of the same standard 做得比…好得多；远远胜过 The new magazine's circulation of 210,000 outstrips that of all of its closest competitors. 新杂志的发行量为210,000本，这远远超过了所有实力接近的竞争对手。 Girls are now outstripping boys in all school subjects. 如今女孩子在所有学科上都把男孩们抛得远远的。overtake /ˌəʊvəʳˈteɪk/ [transitive verb]to develop or increase more quickly than someone or something else and become bigger, better, or more advanced than them 追上，赶上；超过 The Clippers played better in the second half but couldn't overtake the Rockets and lost by eight points. 快艇队下半场表现有所好转，但仍追不上火箭队，最终以8分之差落败。 Some are predicting that India could overtake China as the world's most populous country before 2050. 有人预测印度在2050年前将超越中国成为世界上人口最多的国家。4 better than before 比以前好的better /ˈbetəʳ/ [adjective] The following day, the weather was a little better. 翌日，天气稍稍好转。better than People's general health is a lot better these days than it used to be. 人们现在的总体健康状况比以前要好得多。get better Your Spanish is definitely getting better. 你的西班牙语的确进步了。far better/much better/a lot better Angie spent last week painting her bedroom -- it looks much better. 安吉上个星期的时间都用在粉刷卧室上—她的卧室看上去漂亮多了。better [adverb] This country's people are wealthier, healthier, and better educated than ever before. 该国人民比过去更加富有、更加健康，教育程度也提高了。 Relief agencies are hoping to cope better with the famine than they did in 1990. 救灾机构希望这次饥荒能处理得比1990年那次更好。improved /ɪmˈpruːvd/ [adjective usually before noun]better than before as a result of changes that have been made -- used especially when selling or advertising a product 经过改进的；经过改良的〔尤用于推销产品〕 Perhaps you'd like to have a look at our new improved model? 也许你愿意看一下我们改进后的新型号？ Garrett believes the new system will allow him to lower prices and provide improved service to customers. 加勒特相信这个新系统将帮助他降低价格并为客户提供更好的服务。much/greatly/vastly improved This vastly improved information system means that doctors can see patients’ medical histories at the flick of a switch. 这个经大幅改进的信息系统意味着医生只要按一下开关就可以查看病人的病历。be an improvement on /biː ən ɪmˈpruːvmənt ɒn/ [verb phrase]to be better than something similar, such as a product or method, that existed before 比以前的〔同类东西〕有改进be an improvement on something The new heating system is certainly an improvement on the old one. 新的暖气系统肯定比旧系统好得多了。be a big improvement on something I wouldn't say it was my favorite show, but it's a big improvement on her last series. 我不能说这是我最喜欢的节目，但这已经比她上一个系列有了很大的改进。that's more like it /ˌðæts mɔːʳ ˈlaɪk ɪt/spokensay this when something that is not happening or being done in the way that you want suddenly gets better 【口】这样还可以 Faster, faster -- good, that's more like it. 快一点，快一点，好—那还差不多。 What's wrong with this TV set? It doesn't seem to be working -- ah, that's more like it. 这电视机怎么啦？好像是坏了一哦，现在好一点了。5 to do something better than before 做得比以前更好do better /ˌduː ˈbetəʳ/ [verb phrase]to reach a higher standard than you reached before 做得更好，干得更出色 I was convinced that many of the students could have done better if they'd tried. 我相信如果努力的话，许多学生的成绩会更好。 Mark ran the distance in 30 minutes in the fall, but we're hoping he'll do better this season. 马克在秋季用30分钟跑完全程，我们希望本季他能跑得更快一些。improve on/upon /ɪmˈpruːv ɒn, əpɒn/ [transitive phrasal verb]to do something better than before or make it better than before, especially by working harder 改进；超过〔尤指通过更加努力的工作〕improve on/upon something I'm sure you could improve on your assignment if you spent a little more time on it. 如果你稍微多花一点时间的话，我肯定你的作业会做得更好。 Hughes is anxious for the chance to improve upon last year's 11th place finish. 休斯渴望借着这次机会来改写他去年比赛中仅获第十一名的成绩。