BEST
ADJECTIVES
1470 ► A PER SE the best; first-class → colloq.
1737 ► BETTERMOST best, superior, above the average → colloq.
1750 ► MASTER best, chief, principal; great, remarkable → Eng. dial.
1755 ► TIPTOP of the best quality; excellent; first-rate
1793 ► CRACK excellent; first-rate; expert; finest, best → colloq.
1802 ► WALED-WIGHT best and bravest; chosen; strongest → Sc.
1802 ► WALL-WIGHT best and bravest, chosen; strongest → Sc.
1833 ► LETTER A of the best, prime; first-class → sl.
1837 ► CRACK best, finest → sl.
1855 ► A1 of the best, prime; first-class → sl.
1864 ► RORTY of the very best, fine, splendid, jolly → sl., orig. Londoner’s usage
1876 ► A1 COPPER-BOTTOMED of the best, prime; first-class → sl.
1885 ► ACE-HIGH the best → sl.
1885 ► ACES HIGH the very best; first-rate → US sl.
1892 ► TOP-SHELF the best, excellent, first-class → US sl.
1893 ► BESTEST best of all → Amer. dial.
1895 ► HEAD best, chief, most able → Amer. dial.
..L19 ► UP IN G → UP TO G very best, superlative → US sl.
..20C ► FULLY → FULLY-ON the best possible; perfect → teen & high school sl.
..20C ► PUCKER best, of the highest class, excellent → sl.
1900 ► A1 AND NO MISTAKE of the best, prime; first-class → sl.
1905 ► ONLIEST best, most approved → Eng. dial. (Bk.)
1913 ► SWELL of the best quality, elegant, stylish, first-rate, excellent → Amer. dial. (Bk.)
1920 ► EVIL the best, excellent, wonderful → sl.
1922 ► ALL-PRO the best, of first quality → Amer. sl.
1925 ► MUSTARD best, excellent, skilled → Brit. sl.
1929 ► ACE best; top-rated
1930 ► ACEY best, excellent, expert, wonderful → sl., orig. US
1930 ► TOO FUCKING MUCH → TOO MUCH very best, wonderful, excellent → sl., orig. US
1931 ► AWFULLEST best → Amer. dial.
1935 ► TOPS best, excellent; first-rate → colloq.
1937 ► ALL-OVERST best, most extreme; worst → Amer. dial.
1945 ► A the best, reserved for the best → US sl.
1945 ► ALL-TIME very best, greatest, most memorable on record → Amer. sl., esp. surfers’ usage
1960 ► SKIZZIEST the best → US sl.
1962 ► ACE-ONE best, a-one → US sl.
1965 ► BAD-DOING the best, excellent → African-American sl.
1977 ► BADDEST best → Amer. dial., chiefly African-American
1980 ► JAMMING best, exciting, pleasing, excellent → sl., orig. African-American
1980 ► MACADOCIOUS → MACKADOCIOUS the very best, excellent → African-American sl.
1980 ► RAD-O best, excellent, extreme, excessive, very much → sl., orig. US teen usage
1982 ► RAD best, excellent, extreme, excessive, very much → sl., orig. US teen usage
1987 ► SICKEST best → Trinidad and Tobago
1996 ► MACK DADDY the best, top of the line → Amer. sl.
..L20 ► PUKKA of the very best, excellent, fashionable → colloq.
2000 ► BUTTERY the best, first-rate → African-American sl.
ADVERBS
..16C ► ALDER-BEST best of all → obs.
INTERJECTIONS
..20C ► YOU’RE ACES! you’re the best! → US sl.
NOUNS
1000 ► CUST that which is chosen or selected as the best of anything; an excellent or precious thing → obs.
1000 ► FATNESS the best or richest part of anything → obs.
1225 ► THE GREATEST the best, the most wonderful thing
1450 ► PRIMROSE the first or best; the finest or a fine example of something → arch.
1513 ► WALE that which is chosen or selected as the best; the choicest specimen, etc. → Sc. & N. Eng. dial.
1581 ► CREAM the most excellent part; the best of its kind; the choice part
1589 ► HEART the best, choicest, or most important part
1593 ► TOP the best; the most superior
1625 ► PRIME the best, choicest, or most desirable part of something
1646 ► CROWN JEWELS particularly fine or precious things; the best
1651 ► OPTIMACY the best or highest place → obs.
1656 ► OPTIMITY the quality or fact of being the best or very good; excellence
1671 ► EMPS-PIECE the best, the choicest piece of food; a tidbit → Eng. dial. obs.
1721 ► OFFSET the best of anything; an ornament, embellishment, that which sets off or shows to advantage → Sc.
1775 ► ILL-BEST the best of a bad lot or job → Sc.
1780 ► CROWNING GLORY the best or most notable feature of something; the greatest achievement
..L18 ► DANDY the best; a very good thing of its kind → colloq.
1801 ► ACE the best one; a thing which is held in high esteem; something of merit
1818 ► TIP the best of anything; an excellent thing → Sc.
1829 ► CROWNING JEWEL the best or most notable feature of something; the most impressive or important part
1841 ► THE CHESHIRE the best thing → US sl.
.M19 ► TOP SAWYER the best of its kind → sl.
1851 ► CREAM OF THE CROP the best of its kind
1863 ► MARROW the best of anything; the essential part; the main point, or the full meaning → Ireland & Eng. dial.
1865 ► DADDY the very best; the finest, largest, or most striking example → US sl.
1887 ► BESTMOST a person’s best, utmost → Amer. dial.
1892 ► BEN-END the best part of anything; the best room in a house → Sc.
1898 ► BLOB the best of anything → Eng. dial. (Bk.)
..L19 ► MOSTEST the very best → sl., orig. US
..20C ► DEFFEST the best; the coolest → teen & high school sl.
..20C ► DUCK’S NUTS the best → Aust. sl.
..20C ► ICHIBAN the best → US sl.
..20C ► THE DADDY the best → US students’ sl.
..20C ► THE GROUSE the very best of anything → Aust. colloq.
1902 ► HEAD-GO the best of anything → Eng. dial. (Bk.)
1905 ► OFFMAGANDY the best and choicest of delicacies → Eng. dial. (Bk.)
1907 ► BEATENEST a person’s best; one’s utmost effort → Amer. dial.
1907 ► THE DADDY OF THEM ALL the best; the finest, largest, or most striking example; the most superior → US sl.
1911 ► BETTER the best → Sc. (Bk.)
1920 ► BIG CASINO the best; the ultimate; the most important → US sl.
1920 ► DUCK’S QUACK the very best; an excellent thing → US sl.
1920 ► THE WORKS the finest example → sl.
1923 ► THE CAT’S WHISKERS the best or greatest thing
1925 ► THE CAT’S PAJAMAS the best or greatest thing
1935 ► TOPS → THE TOPS the best; the ultimate, the winner → sl., orig. US
1937 ► THE TOPS the best → US sl.
1948 ► THE END the best; perfection, absolute excellence → US sl. chiefly jazz usage
1950 ► THE MOST ON TOAST the best, the most exciting, the finest → sl., orig. US
1953 ► CREAM OF THE POT the best of its kind; the very best → Amer. dial.
1953 ► THE MOST the best, the most exciting, the finest, the ultimate in something → sl., orig. US
1956 ► DEAD-LEVEL BEST the best of one’s abilities; utmost → Amer. dial.
1957 ► ENDSVILLE → ENDVILLE the best → US jazz usage
1960 ► BAT’S BALLS the very best, the ultimate → US sl.
1968 ► CREAM OF THE SOUP the best of its kind; the very best → Amer. dial.
1982 ► THE SAUCE the best → Bahamas sl.
1986 ► THE DEAL the very best → US sl.
1986 ► THE DOG’S BOLLOCKS the very best; the acme of excellence
1987 ► THE SHIT the very best; the acme of excellence → African-American usage
1989 ► SILK DEPARTMENT the very best → Aust. sl.
1990 ► CADILLAC something considered the best → US prison sl.
1990 ► OKEY-DOKE the best, the ultimate → African-American sl.
1990 ► QUEEN MAMA the very best of a place or thing → US teen sl.
1990 ► THE JUNK the very best → US students’ sl.
1995 ► MACDADDY the very best of something → US sl.
1997 ► CHIZ the best → US sl.
1998 ► APOGEE the best; the greatest → sl. (Bk.)
1999 ► TOP ONE the best of times → UK sl.
2000 ► MAE WEST the best (thing) → rhyming sl.
2003 ► THE DAIRY the best → UK sl.
2006 ► THE BERRIES the best; the finest → US sl. (Bk.)
NOUNS, PERSON
1050 ► BESTS the best people
1200 ► HEAD the best or most important person; a person holding a pre-eminent position
1225 ► THE GREATEST the best or most wonderful person
1386 ► SALT OF THE EARTH a person regarded as the best of his or her kind
1513 ► WALE the best person; one who is chosen or selected as the best → Sc. & N. Eng. dial.
1617 ► BELLMAN the best or most excellent person; he who ‘bears the bell’ → obs.
1635 ► OPTIMATE a person who is the best → obs.
1818 ► TIP the best person; an excellent person → Sc.
1826 ► TOP SAWYER the best person; the leader in any profession, job, or occupation; a superior; a person of importance → sl.
1841 ► THE CHESHIRE the best person → US sl.
.M19 ► A1 the best person; a first-class person; the favourite → sl.
1868 ► HIGH LINER the best or highest achiever of a group → Amer. dial.
1876 ► HEART OF THE ROLL the best person → sl.
1889 ► THE MOSTEST a person who is the best → orig. US
1908 ► VIRE the best person; an outstanding person, animal, or thing; the best in a class → Sc.
1911 ► BETTER the best person → Sc. (Bk.)
1920 ► BIG CASINO the best person; the ultimate; the most important → US sl.
1920 ► DUCK’S QUACK the very best person; an excellent person → US sl.
1923 ► PRIMA BALLERINA a self-important or temperamental person; also, a person who takes a leading role, or is considered the best in a particular field
1923 ► THE CAT’S WHISKERS the best or greatest person
1923 ► THE HEART O’ CORN a person who is one of the best → Ireland
1925 ► THE CAT’S PAJAMAS the best or greatest person
1942 ► HEART OF THE ROWL the best person → Irish sl.
1960 ► MACK a person who is the best in their field; a clever, proficient or influential person → sl.
1970 ► BLUE NOSE a person who is the best of a community, or who thinks they are → Amer. dial.
1990 ► QUEEN MAMA the very best person → US teen sl.
1993 ► MACK DADDY the best person; a clever, proficient or influential man → Amer. sl.
PHRASES
.M19 ► ABOUT RIGHT to the best extent possible → sl.
1873 ► ONE’S LEVEL BEST a persons’ very best; the utmost one can possibly do → colloq., orig. US
1887 ► THE LONGEST POLE GETS THE PERSIMMON the best man wins → Amer. dial.
1980 ► AN AWFUL WAY TO RUN A RAILROAD not the best way to do something → sl.
VERBS
1374 ► BEAR THE BELL to be the best; to excel, to be pre-eminent
1375 ► DO ONE’S MAIN to do one’s best → obs.
1483 ► GARBLE to select or sort out the best in anything or set of things; to take the pick of
1847 ► CAPTURE THE CRUMB to be the best, to surpass, to outdo → sl.
1847 ► COP THE CAKE to be the best, to surpass, to outdo → sl.
1847 ► COP THE CURRANTY to be the best, to surpass, to outdo → sl.
1847 ► PUT IN ONE’S LICKS to do one’s best; to work hard → Amer. dial.
1847 ► TAKE THE BAKER’S SHOP to be the best, to surpass, to outdo → sl.
1847 ► TAKE THE BAKERY to be the best, to surpass, to outdo → sl.
1847 ► TAKE THE BISCUIT to be the best, to surpass, to outdo → sl.
1847 ► TAKE THE FLOUR to be the best, to surpass, to outdo → sl.
1847 ► TAKE THE PASTRY to be the best, to surpass, to outdo → sl.
1851 ► PUT IN ONE’S BEST LICKS to do one’s best; to work hard → Amer. dial.
1882 ► TAKE THE COOKIE to be the best, to surpass, to outdo → sl.
1885 ► ANNEX THE WHOLE CONFECTIONER’S SHOP to be the best of a kind; to rank the highest; to carry off the honours → sl.
1885 ► SLIDE AWAY WITH THE BANBURY to be the best of a kind; to rank the highest; to carry off the honours → sl.
1885 ► TAKE THE BUN to be the best of a kind; to rank the highest; to carry off the honours → sl.
1885 ► TAKE THE CAKE to be the best of a kind; to rank the highest; to carry off the honours → sl.
1885 ► YANK THE BUN to be the best of a kind; to rank the highest; to carry off the honours → sl.
1894 ► HAVE THE HEELS OF to have the best of; to excel, to surpass → Sc.
..L19 ► PUT ONE’S BEST SIDE TOWARDS LONDON to make the best of things → sl.
..20C ► DO ONE’S DARNEDEST to do one’s very best → sl., orig. US
1900 ► PICK THE EYES OUT OF to get the best bits for oneself → Aust. sl.
1905 ► MASTER to best, to defeat, to overcome → Eng. dial. (Bk.)
1923 ► EAT THE GREASE to take the best of something → Amer. dial.
1928 ► RING THE BELL to be the best of a lot; to carry off the prize
1972 ► BRING ONE’S A-GAME to do the best one possibly can; to perform at one’s peak
Lexicophilia 