What is "had better"

Had \Had\ (h[a^]d), imp. & p. p. of Have. [OE. had, hafde, hefde, AS. h[ae]fde.] See Have.

Had as lief, Had rather, Had better, Had as soon, etc., with a nominative and followed by the infinitive without to, are well established idiomatic forms. The original construction was that of the dative with forms of be, followed by the infinitive. See Had better, under Better.

And lever me is be pore and trewe. [And more agreeable to me it is to be poor and true.]
--C. Mundi (Trans.).

Him had been lever to be syke.
--Fabian.

For him was lever have at his bed's head Twenty bookes, clad in black or red, . . . Than robes rich, or fithel, or gay sawtrie.
--Chaucer.

Note: Gradually the nominative was substituted for the dative, and had for the forms of be. During the process of transition, the nominative with was or were, and the dative with had, are found.

Poor lady, she were better love a dream.
--Shak.

You were best hang yourself.
--Beau. & Fl.

Me rather had my heart might feel your love Than my unpleased eye see your courtesy.
--Shak.

I hadde levere than my scherte, That ye hadde rad his legende, as have I.
--Chaucer.

I had as lief not be as live to be In awe of such a thing as I myself.
--Shak.

I had rather be a dog and bay the moon, Than such a Roman.
--Shak.

I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
--Ps. lxxxiv. 10.

Better \Bet"ter\, a.; compar. of Good. [OE. betere, bettre, and as adv. bet, AS. betera, adj., and bet, adv.; akin to Icel. betri, adj., betr, adv., Goth. batiza, adj., OHG. bezziro, adj., baz, adv., G. besser, adj. and adv., bass, adv., E. boot, and prob. to Skr. bhadra excellent. See Boot advantage, and cf. Best, Batful.]

1. Having good qualities in a greater degree than another; as, a better man; a better physician; a better house; a better air.

   Could make the worse appear The better reason.
   --Milton.

2. Preferable in regard to rank, value, use, fitness, acceptableness, safety, or in any other respect.

   To obey is better than sacrifice.
   --1 Sam. xv. 22.

   It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.
   --Ps. cxviii. 9.

3. Greater in amount; larger; more.

4. Improved in health; less affected with disease; as, the patient is better.

5. More advanced; more perfect; as, upon better acquaintance; a better knowledge of the subject.

   All the better. See under All, adv.

   Better half, an expression used to designate one's wife.

   My dear, my better half (said he), I find I must now leave thee.
   --Sir P. Sidney.

   To be better off, to be in a better condition.

   Had better. (See under Had).

   Note: The phrase had better, followed by an infinitive without to, is idiomatic. The earliest form of construction was ``were better'' with a dative; as, ``Him were better go beside.'' (
   --Gower.) i. e., It would be better for him, etc. At length the nominative (I, he, they, etc.) supplanted the dative and had took the place of were. Thus we have the construction now used.

   By all that's holy, he had better starve Than but once think this place becomes thee not.
   --Shak.

alt. (context idiomatic with bare infinitive informal English) should; ought to; need to; must. phr. (context idiomatic with bare infinitive informal English) should; ought to; need to; must.