Better half
a person’s wife.
a person’s husband.
contemporary examples
why salt lake’s mayor lost faith in mitt mckay coppins august 18, 2011
the moms of monster jam drive trucks, buck macho culture eliza krigman november 21, 2014
new orleans shooting: i saw the mother’s day parade gunman jarratt pytell may 12, 2013
historical examples
mr. punch in wig and gown various
an explorer’s adventures in tibet a. henry savage landor
toaster’s handbook peggy edmund and harold w. williams, compilers
roundabout papers william makepeace thackeray
jack harkaway and his son’s escape from the brigand’s of greece bracebridge hemyng
history of friedrich ii. of prussia, vol. iii. (of xxi.) thomas carlyle
the lock and key library various
noun
(jocular) one’s spouse
also, better part . the larger amount or majority of something, as in i won’t be long; the better half of this job is complete , or i have spent the better part of my life in this city . sir philip sidney used the first term in arcadia (1580): “i … shall think the better half of it already achieved.” the variant appears in a well-known proverb, discretion is the better part of valor
also, my better half. one’s (my) spouse, as in i’m not sure if we can go; i’ll have to check with my better half. originally this expression meant “a close friend or lover,” and by the 16th century it referred to either a wife or lover. sidney used it in this way, again in arcadia: “my dear, my better half (said he), i find i must now leave thee.” today it tends to be used lightly for either husband or wife. “late 1500s”
Read Also:
- Better luck next time
better luck next time contemporary examples why greek debt is going long megan mcardle november 26, 2012 historical examples the carter girls’ mysterious neighbors nell speed kildares of storm eleanor mercein kelly the pioneer boys of the columbia harrison adams throckmorton molly elliot seawell ben, the luggage boy; horatio alger anything you can do … […]
- Better oneself
of superior quality or excellence: a better coat; a better speech. morally superior; more virtuous: they are no better than thieves. of superior suitability, advisability, desirability, acceptableness, etc.; preferable: a better time for action. larger; greater: the better part of a lifetime. improved in health; healthier than before. completely recovered in health. in a more […]
- Better safe than sorry
better safe than sorry being careful may avoid disaster, as in i’m not taking any short-cuts—better safe than sorry. this cautionary phrase appeared as better sure than sorry in 1837.
- Better than
superior to, as in he’s no better than tom at writing a memo. [ 9th century ] more than, larger in amount or greater in rate, as in my new car can do better than 100 miles an hour, or the new plan will cut better than 15 percent of costs. some authorities consider this […]
- Bettered
of superior quality or excellence: a better coat; a better speech. morally superior; more virtuous: they are no better than thieves. of superior suitability, advisability, desirability, acceptableness, etc.; preferable: a better time for action. larger; greater: the better part of a lifetime. improved in health; healthier than before. completely recovered in health. in a more […]