1870. Bret Harte, Poems, etc., The Tale of a Pony: Ah, here comes Rosey's new turn-out! Smart! You bet your life 't was that!
1872. S. Clemens ('Mark Twain'), Roughing It, ch. ii. 'The mosquitoes are pretty bad about here, madam!' 'You bet!' 'What did I understand you to say, madam?' 'You bet!'
1888. Daily Inter-Ocean, Mar. 7. Congressional Report. Mr. Boutelle—That is the bravery to which you refer? (Applause on the Republican side.) Mr. O'Ferrall—Well, sir, it is the right kind of bravery: you may bet your bottom dollar on that.
(American.)—To bet one's eyes is a gambler's term for an onlooker who neither takes part in, nor bets upon the game.
Bethel, verb.—See quotation.
1740. North, Examen, p. 93. In the year 1680 Bethel and Cornish were chosen sheriffs. The former used to walk about more like a corn-cutter than Sheriff of London. He kept no house, but lived upon chops, whence it is proverbial for not feasting to bethel the city.
Be There, verbal phr. (common).—To
be there is to be on the
qui vive; alive; knowing; in
one's element.
Better, adv. (vulgar).—More;
without any idea of superiority.
A depraved word; once in good
usage, but now regarded as a
vulgarism.
1587. Fleming, Cont. Holinshed, III., p. 1382, col. 2. Woorth one hundred and twentie pounds and better. [m.]
1679. Plot, Staffordshire (1686), p. 239. The bodies . . . being better than an inch long. [m.]
1769. Gray, in N. Nichols' Corr. (1843), p. 87. It is better than three weeks since I wrote to you. [m.]
1851. G. Borrow, Lavengro, ch. lxx., p. 217 (1888). Following its windings for somewhat better than a furlong.
1854. Ainsworth, Flitch of Bacon, pt. I., ch. v. 'Pastor of Little Dunmow Church for fifty years and better.'
1857. Dickens, Dorrit, bk. I., ch. x., 75. 'Yes. Rather better than twelve years ago.'
1860. Dickens, Xmas Stories (Mess. from Sea), p. 89 (H. ed.). 'He shipped for his last voyage better than three years ago.'
Better Half, subs. (colloquial).—humorous
term for a wife.
The history of the phrase is
thus given by Murray, 'originally
my better half, i.e., the more than
half of my being; said of a
very close and intimate friend';
(Cf., 'the better part of me'
Shaks.; 'meæ partem animæ,'
'animæ dimidium meæ,' Horace;
'animæ partem . . . nostra
majorem' Statius); especially
(after Sidney) used for 'my
husband' or 'wife'; now, jocularly
appropriated to the
latter. Formerly also applied
to the soul, as the better part
of man.
1580. Sidney, Arcadia, III., 280. [Argalus to Parthenia, his wife.] My deare, my better halfe (sayd hee), I find I must now leaue thee. [m.]
Circa 1600. Shakspeare, Sonnets, xxxix., 2. O how thy worth with manners may I sing, When thou art all the better part of me? What can mine own praise to mine own self bring? And what is't but mine own when I praise thee.
1720. Sheffield (Duke of Buckingham), wks. (1753) I., 274. My dear and better half is out of danger. [m.]
1842. Theodore Martin, in Fraser's Magazine, Dec, p. 241, col. 2. I . . . shall look out for a better half. [m.]
Betting Round, ppl. adj. (racing).—Laying
fairly and equally
against nearly all the horses
in a race, so that no great risk
