Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
WordNet
n. the competitor who finishes second [syn: runner-up]
Wikipedia
Second Best is a 1994 British film produced by Sarah Radclyffe and directed by Chris Menges. It closely follows the 1991 novel of the same name by David Cook, who also wrote the screenplay.
"(I Don't Want to be) Second Best" is a song from New Zealand singer Margaret Urlich. The song was released in April 1993 as the third single from her second studio album, Chameleon Dreams. The song peaked at number number 39 in New Zealand
Usage examples of "second best".
Programmed to settle for second best, Jeremy gritted his teeth and played on in resigned silence, a difficult pose to maintain in an orchestra, especially when it is giving a performance of Mahlers First Symphony.
The tests in the 47-K12 group were second best and our recommendation is that retests be conducted in this appeal, testing each of the three best campaigns with and without the addition of sampling techniques.
Barring catastrophe, the two teams of the century would win every contest, then go to war on New Year's Day, inside the venerable Hope Dome, and the issue about who was best and who was merely second best would be settled for the ages.
He thought of life as a contest, and dying was what happened to those who came out second best, but it wasn't the same as murder, it was a fair fight.
I've already hired the best in the business to try to find Ben-so there is no need for you to hock your future to hire the second best.