“better” in Latin

as to the outward sense), melior; pulchrior (more beautiful): jucundior, suavior (more agreeable): laetior (more joyful). Better times, tempora laetiora, feliciora: weather, tempestas laetior, caelum mitius.

In respect of the nature, destination, object, and also the use, of a thing, melior; potior, superior; praestantior, praestabilior; opportunior, commodior, magis idoneus (more suitable, convinient): salubrior (more wholesome): utilior (more useful, profitable): a better season, commodius anni tempus: to be better as a soldier than as a politician, meliorem esse bello, quam pace: to choose a better place for his camp, magis idoneum locum castris deligere. To be better in something than another, vincete, superare, praestare aliquem aliqua re. To make better, corrigere (of correcting what is altogether wrong and faulty): emendare (of removing whatever faults anything may have). [Vid: to BETTER]. We are better off, meliore sumus conditione, meliore loco sunt res nostrae. It is better, melius or satius est, praestat. To have a better opinion of one, aequius, benignius judicare de aliquo.

In a moral view, melior, potior, praestabilior. To be better, meliorem, praeferendum esse; praestare, antecellere. To become better, meliorem fieri, ad bonam frugem se recipere, se colligere, in viam redire.

As to health, etc., melior. I am better, melius mihi fit; melius me habeo; meliuscule (somewhat better) mihi est. I am getting better, convalesco ex morbo); melior fio; sanitatem recipio; ex incommoda valetudine emergo.

The better (the advantage, superiority). The Romans had the better in the less important battles, parvis proeliis Romana res superior erat. To get, have the better, aliquem vincere, superare; superiorem fieri; superiorem or victorem discedere; superiorem fieri bello (in the war). The patricians had the better of it, victoria penes patres erat. Anger had the better of pity, plus ira quam misericordia valebat.

melius facere or efficere, corrigere (to correct what is all wrong), emendare (to remove the faults of what is partially wrong). To better his wags, mores suos mutare, in viam redire, ad bonam frugem se recipere: his circumstances, amplificare fortunam, augere opes. His circumstances are bettered, ejus res sunt meliore loco. That may be bettered, emendabilis, sanabilis. Past bettering, insanabilis.

Advance, augere, ampliorem facere: ampliare rem (Hor.).

melius, etc. Somewhat better, meliuscule.

At a better pace, citius. The thing begins to go on better, res melius ire iucipit. To attend better, diligentius attendere. To think better of one, aequius, benignius, judicare de aliquo. To know better, rectius scire, nosse, intelligere. To get on bater, citius progredi (of a person’s progress): res melius ire incipit (of an undertaking).