核心畫面
Picture a row of things lined up and ranked, with one standing right at the top — better than every other in quality, skill, or how well it works. That single idea, 'the very top of the line, beaten by none', is the seed of the whole word. It only changes costume: as an adjective it labels the top thing (the best player); as an adverb it says you did the action in the top way (works best); as a noun it names the top itself (the best of them) or the top you can manage (do your best); and as a verb it means to push someone below you, proving yourself the top one (to best a rival).
可以想成一排東西被排名次，有一個站在最頂端——品質、本事或效果都贏過其餘所有的。這一個念頭「站在最頂、無人能勝」就是…更多收起
可以想成一排東西被排名次，有一個站在最頂端——品質、本事或效果都贏過其餘所有的。這一個念頭「站在最頂、無人能勝」就是整個字的種子。它只是換衣服穿：當形容詞，給最頂的那個貼標籤（the best player）；當副詞，說你把動作做到了最頂的程度（works best）；當名詞，直接指那個「最頂的本身」（the best of them），或你能拿出的最頂表現（do your best）；當動詞，把對手壓到你下面，證明自己才是最頂的（to best a rival）。原始詞典資料13 筆記錄
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，原文照列，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。
Bestname/bɛst/
- 1
A surname.
- Dyshan Best, 39, was shot in the back last year as he fled from officers in Bridgeport, Connecticut. A report released this week by the state’s inspector general found that the shooting was justified because Best had a gun in his hand and the officer pursuing him had reasons to fear for his own safety.
- 2
A village and municipality in North Brabant province, Netherlands.
bestadj詞源 1/ˈbɛst/
- 1
Most; largest.
- Unpacking took the best part of a week.
- 2
Most superior; most favorable.
- In my opinion, mushrooms are the best pizza toppings.
bestadv詞源 1/ˈbɛst/
- 1
To the most advantage; with the most success, cause, profit, benefit, or propriety.
- You'd best save a backup copy, just in case the morons lose the one that you sent and then try to act like you never sent one.
- Had I not best go to her?
bestnoun詞源 1/ˈbɛst/
- 1
The supreme effort one can make, or has made.
- I did my best.
- My personal best in that race is eighteen minutes, four seconds.
- 2
One's best behavior.
- I was somewhat distant lately, and my lady promised me head every Tuesday of the week when I’m nice to her, so I better be on my best.
- 3
The person (or persons; or thing or things) that is (are) most excellent.
- Even the best of us makes mistakes, but only a few with the best of intentions...
- We're (the) best of friends, who fortunately enjoy the best of health.
bestverb詞源 1/ˈbɛst/
- 1
To surpass in skill or achievement.
- 2
To beat in a contest.
- The Norddeutscher Lloyd steamship Kronprinz Wilhelm left New York on May 3 [1904], at 3.10 p.m. and reached Plymouth Sound on May 9 at 8 a.m. This was then a very fast crossing of the Atlantic, but it was not the record. The same ship had held the "Blue Riband" in 1902, but had been slightly bested by the Kaiser Wilhelm II, a larger vessel of the same line, in 1903, and that stood as the record until the Cunard Line secured the honours in 1909 with the Mauretania and held them for an unbroken period of 20 years.
- "You did not win because I was sloppy. You bested me, Uncle. I've never seen you fight like that before.”
bestverb詞源 2/ˈbɛst/
- 1
Had best.
- It's getting late. You best get on home.
- 'We best be going,' she said, looking at the clock.
資料來源：英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary（CC BY-SA 4.0）。 原文照列，未經改寫。