have

[hav; unstressed huh v, uh v; for 26 usually haf] /hæv; unstressed həv, əv; for 26 usually hæf/
verb (used with object), present singular 1st person have, 2nd have or (Archaic) hast, 3rd has or (Archaic) hath, present plural have; past singular 1st person had, 2nd had or (Archaic) hadst or haddest, 3rd had, past plural had; past participle had; present participle having.
1.
to possess; own; hold for use; contain:
He has property. The work has an index.
2.
to hold, possess, or accept in some relation, as of kindred or relative position:
He wanted to marry her, but she wouldn't have him.
3.
to get, receive, or take:
to have a part in a play; to have news.
4.
to experience, undergo, or endure, as joy or pain:
Have a good time. He had a heart attack last year.
5.
to hold in mind, sight, etc.:
to have doubts.
6.
to cause to, as by command or invitation:
Have him come here at five.
7.
to be related to or be in a certain relation to:
She has three cousins. He has a kind boss.
8.
to show or exhibit in action or words:
She had the crust to refuse my invitation.
9.
to be identified or distinguished by; possess the characteristic of:
He has a mole on his left cheek. This wood has a silky texture.
10.
to engage in or carry on:
to have a talk; to have a fight.
11.
to partake of; eat or drink:
He had cake and coffee for dessert.
12.
to permit or allow:
I will not have any talking during the concert.
13.
to assert, maintain, or represent as being:
Rumor has it that she's going to be married.
14.
to know, understand, or be skilled in:
to have neither Latin nor Greek.
15.
to beget or give birth to:
to have a baby.
16.
to hold an advantage over:
He has you there.
17.
to outwit, deceive, or cheat:
We realized we'd been had by an expert con artist.
18.
to control or possess through bribery; bribe.
19.
to gain possession of:
There is none to be had at that price.
20.
to hold or put in a certain position or situation:
The problem had me stumped. They had him where they wanted him.
21.
to exercise, display, or make use of:
Have pity on him.
22.
to invite or cause to be present as a companion or guest:
We had Evelyn and Everett over for dinner. He has his bodyguard with him at all times.
23.
to engage in sexual intercourse with.
verb (used without object), present singular 1st person have, 2nd have or (Archaic) hast, 3rd has or (Archaic) hath, present plural have; past singular 1st person had, 2nd had or (Archaic) hadst or haddest, 3rd had, past plural had; past participle had; present participle having.
24.
to be in possession of money or wealth:
There are some who have and some who have not.
auxiliary verb, present singular 1st person have, 2nd have or (Archaic) hast, 3rd has or (Archaic) hath, present plural have; past singular 1st person had, 2nd had or (Archaic) hadst or haddest, 3rd had, past plural had; past participle had; present participle having.
25.
(used with a past participle to form perfect tenses):
She has gone. It would have been an enjoyable party if he hadn't felt downcast.
26.
to be required, compelled, or under obligation (followed by infinitival to, with or without a main verb):
I have to leave now. I didn't want to study, but I had to.
noun
27.
Usually, haves. an individual or group that has wealth, social position, or other material benefits (contrasted with have-not).
Verb phrases
28.
have at, to go at vigorously; attack:
First he decided to have at his correspondence.
Idioms
29.
had better / best, ought to:
You'd better go now, it's late.
30.
had rather. rather (def 7).
31.
have done, to cease; finish:
It seemed that they would never have done with their struggle.
32.
have had it,
  1. to become weary of or disgusted with whatever one has been doing:
    I've been working like a fool, but now I've had it.
  2. to suffer defeat; fail:
    He was a great pitcher, but after this season he'll have had it.
  3. to have missed a last opportunity:
    He refused to take any more excuses and told them all that they'd had it.
  4. to become unpopular or passé:
    Quiz shows have had it.
33.
have it coming, to merit or deserve:
When they lost their fortune, everyone said that they had it coming.
34.
have it in for, to plan or wish to do something unpleasant to; hold a grudge against:
She has it in for intelligent students who fail to use their abilities.
35.
have it out, to come to an understanding or decision through discussion or combat:
We've been in disagreement about this for a long time, and I think we should have it out, once and for all.
36.
have on,
  1. to be clothed in; be wearing:
    She had on a new dress.
  2. to have arranged or planned:
    What do you have on for Christmas?
  3. to tease (a person); make the butt of a joke.
    Compare put (def 35).
37.
have to do with,
  1. to be connected or associated with:
    Your lack of confidence probably had a lot to do with your not getting the job.
  2. to deal with; be concerned with:
    I will have nothing to do with their personal squabbles.
38.
to have and to hold, to possess legally; have permanent possession of:
The house, with the mortgage finally paid, was at last their own to have and to hold.
Origin
before 900; Middle English haven, habben, Old English habban; cognate with German haben, Old Norse hafa, Gothic haban to have; perhaps akin to heave
Can be confused
halve, have.
Synonyms
1. Have, hold, occupy, own, possess mean to be, in varying degrees, in possession of something. Have, being the most general word, admits of the widest range of application: to have money, rights, discretion, a disease, a glimpse, an idea; to have a friend's umbrella. To hold is to have in one's grasp or one's control, but not necessarily as one's own: to hold stakes. To occupy is to hold and use, but not necessarily by any right of ownership: to occupy a chair, a house, a position. To own is to have the full rights of property in a thing, which, however, another may be holding or enjoying: to own a house that is rented to tenants. Possess is a more formal equivalent for own and suggests control, and often occupation, of large holdings: to possess vast territories. 3. obtain, gain, secure, procure.
Antonyms
1. lack.
Usage note
See of2.

better1

[bet-er] /ˈbɛt ər/
adjective, compar. of good with best as superl.
1.
of superior quality or excellence:
a better coat; a better speech.
2.
morally superior; more virtuous:
They are no better than thieves.
3.
of superior suitability, advisability, desirability, acceptableness, etc.; preferable:
a better time for action.
4.
larger; greater:
the better part of a lifetime.
5.
improved in health; healthier than before.
6.
completely recovered in health.
adverb, compar. of well with best as superl.
7.
in a more appropriate or acceptable way or manner:
to behave better.
8.
to a greater degree; more completely or thoroughly:
He knows the way better than we do. I probably know him better than anyone else.
9.
more:
I walked better than a mile to town.
verb (used with object)
10.
to increase the good qualities of; make better; improve:
to better the lot of the suburban commuter.
11.
to improve upon; surpass; exceed:
We have bettered last year's production record.
12.
Cards. to raise (a previous bid).
noun
13.
that which has greater excellence or is preferable or wiser:
the better of two choices.
14.
Usually, betters. those superior to one in wisdom, wealth, etc.
Idioms
15.
better off,
  1. in better circumstances.
  2. more fortunate; happier:
    Because of his asthma, he would be better off in a different climate.
16.
better oneself, to improve one's social standing, financial position, or education:
He is going to night school because he wants to better himself.
17.
for the better, in a way that is an improvement:
His health changed for the better.
18.
get / have the better of,
  1. to get an advantage over.
  2. to prevail against.
19.
go (someone) one better, to exceed the effort of; be superior to:
The neighbors went us one better by buying two new cars.
20.
had better, would be wiser or more well-advised to; ought to:
We had better stay indoors today.
21.
no better than one should be, Disparaging. morally inferior; immoral or amoral.
22.
think better of,
  1. to reconsider and decide more favorably or wisely regarding:
    I was tempted to make a sarcastic retort, but thought better of it.
  2. to form a higher opinion of.
Origin
before 900; Middle English bettre, Old English bet(t)(e)ra; cognate with Old High German bezziro (German besser), Dutch beter, Old Norse betr, Gothic batiza, equivalent to bat- (cognate with Old High German baz (adv.) better; akin to boot2) + -iza comparative suffix; suggested relation to Sanskrit bhadrá- “fortunate” is doubtful. See best
Related forms
unbettered, adjective
Synonyms
10. amend; advance, promote; reform, correct, rectify. See improve.
British Dictionary definitions for had better

better1

/ˈbɛtə/
adjective
1.
the comparative of good
2.
more excellent than other members of a particular group, category, etc
3.
more suitable, advantageous, attractive, etc
4.
improved in health
5.
fully recovered in health
6.
in more favourable circumstances, esp financially
7.
better off, in more favourable circumstances, esp financially
8.
the better part of, a large part of: the better part of a day
adverb
9.
the comparative of well1
10.
in a more excellent manner; more advantageously, attractively, etc
11.
in or to a greater degree or extent; more: she is better loved than her sister
12.
(Brit intr; US transitive) go one better, to outdo (a person) or improve upon (someone else's effort)
13.
had better, would be wise, sensible, etc to: I had better be off
14.
know better than to, not to be so stupid as to
15.
think better of
  1. to change one's course of action after reconsideration
  2. to rate (a person) more highly
noun
16.
the better, something that is the more excellent, useful, etc, of two such things
17.
(usually pl) a person who is superior, esp in social standing or ability
18.
all the better for, improved as a result of
19.
all the better to, more suitable to
20.
for better for worse, whatever the subsequent events or changes may be
21.
for the better, by way of improvement: a change for the better
22.
get the better of, to defeat, outwit, or surpass
23.
(Irish) the better of, having recovered from: I'm not the better of it yet
verb
24.
to make or become better
25.
(transitive) to improve upon; surpass
Word Origin
Old English betera; related to Old Norse betri, Gothic batiza, Old High German beziro

better2

/ˈbɛtə/
noun
1.
a person who bets

have

/hæv/
verb (mainly transitive) has, having, had
1.
to be in material possession of; own: he has two cars
2.
to possess as a characteristic quality or attribute: he has dark hair
3.
to receive, take, or obtain: she had a present from him, have a look
4.
to hold or entertain in the mind: to have an idea
5.
to possess a knowledge or understanding of: I have no German
6.
to experience or undergo: to have a shock
7.
to be infected with or suffer from: to have a cold
8.
to gain control of or advantage over: you have me on that point
9.
(usually passive) (slang) to cheat or outwit: he was had by that dishonest salesman
10.
(foll by on) to exhibit (mercy, compassion, etc, towards): have mercy on us, Lord
11.
to engage or take part in: to have a conversation
12.
to arrange, carry out, or hold: to have a party
13.
to cause, compel, or require to (be, do, or be done): have my shoes mended
14.
(takes an infinitive with to) used as an auxiliary to express compulsion or necessity: I had to run quickly to escape him
15.
to eat, drink, or partake of: to have a good meal
16.
(slang) to have sexual intercourse with: he had her on the sofa
17.
(used with a negative) to tolerate or allow: I won't have all this noise
18.
to declare, state, or assert: rumour has it that they will marry
19.
to put or place: I'll have the sofa in this room
20.
to receive as a guest: to have three people to stay
21.
to beget or bear (offspring): she had three children
22.
(takes a past participle) used as an auxiliary to form compound tenses expressing completed action: I have gone, I shall have gone, I would have gone, I had gone
23.
had better, had best, ought to: used to express compulsion, obligation, etc: you had better go
24.
had rather, had sooner, to consider or find preferable that: I had rather you left at once
25.
have done, See done (sense 3)
26.
(informal) have had it
  1. to be exhausted, defeated, or killed
  2. to have lost one's last chance
  3. to become unfashionable
27.
have it, to win a victory
28.
(Brit, slang) have it away, have it off, to have sexual intercourse
29.
(informal) have it coming, to be about to receive or to merit punishment or retribution
30.
(informal) have it in for, to wish or intend harm towards
31.
have it so good, to have so many benefits, esp material benefits
32.
have to do with
  1. to have dealings or associate with: I have nothing to do with her
  2. to be of relevance to: this has nothing to do with you
33.
(informal) I have it, I know the answer
34.
(slang) let someone have it, to launch or deliver an attack on, esp to discharge a firearm at someone
35.
(foll by of) (informal) not having any, refusing to take part or be involved (in)
noun
36.
(usually pl) a person or group of people in possession of wealth, security, etc: the haves and the have-nots
See also have at, have in, have on, have out, have up
Word Origin
Old English habban; related to Old Norse hafa, Old Saxon hebbian, Old High German habēn, Latin habēre
Word Origin and History for had better

have

v.

Old English habban "to own, possess; be subject to, experience," from Proto-Germanic *haben- (cf. Old Norse hafa, Old Saxon hebbjan, Old Frisian habba, German haben, Gothic haban "to have"), from PIE *kap- "to grasp" (see capable). Not related to Latin habere, despite similarity in form and sense; the Latin cognate is capere "seize." Old English second person singular present hæfst, third person singular present hæfð became Middle English hast, hath, while Old English -bb- became -v- in have. The past participle had developed from Old English gehæfd.

Sense of "possess, have at one's disposal" (I have a book) is a shift from older languages, where the thing possessed was made the subject and the possessor took the dative case (e.g. Latin est mihi liber "I have a book," literally "there is to me a book"). Used as an auxiliary in Old English, too (especially to form present perfect tense); the word has taken on more functions over time; Modern English he had better would have been Old English him (dative) wære betere. To have to for "must" (1570s) is from sense of "possess as a duty or thing to be done" (Old English). Phrase have a nice day as a salutation after a commercial transaction attested by 1970, American English. Phrase have (noun), will (verb) is from 1954, originally from comedian Bob Hope, in the form Have tux, will travel; Hope described this as typical of vaudevillians' ads in "Variety," indicating a willingness to perform anywhere, any time.

better

adj.

Old English bettra, earlier betera, from Proto-Germanic *batizo-, from PIE *bhad- "good;" see best. Comparative adjective of good in the older Germanic languages (cf. Old Frisian betera, Old Saxon betiro, Old Norse betr, Danish bedre, Old High German bezziro, German besser, Gothic batiza). In English it superseded bet in the adverbial sense by 1600. Better half "wife" is first attested 1570s.

n.

late 12c., "that which is better," from better (adj.). Specific meaning "one's superior" is from early 14c. To get the better of (someone) is from 1650s, from better in a sense of "superiority, mastery," which is recorded from mid-15c.

v.

Old English *beterian "improve, amend, make better," from Proto-Germanic *batizojan (cf. Old Frisian beteria, Dutch beteren, Old Norse betra, Old High German baziron, German bessern), from *batiz- (see better (adj.)). Related: Bettered; bettering.

Slang definitions & phrases for had better

better

Related Terms

go something or someone one better, you better believe something


have

verb
  1. To do the sex act with; possess sexually: I had Mary Jane in her own bathtub ten times (1594+)
  2. To cheat; deceive; diddle: I'm afraid it's a scam, they have had us (1805+)
  3. To gain an advantage over: I have you there, old man! (1596+)
Related Terms

be had


Idioms and Phrases with had better

had better

Also, had best. Ought to, should. For example, You had better finish this one before starting another, or We had best be going. [ Mid-1400s ]
Also see: you'd better believe it

better

also see:
also see under:
best

have

, also see entries beginning with
get
had
, and
keep
.