Etymology: Of uncertain origin; nor is it clear whether the noun or the verb was the starting-point; if the noun, we may perhaps see in it an aphetic form of abet n. in the sense of ‘instigation, encouragement, support, maintaining of a cause’: see the quotation from Spenser under abet n. 1. The verb would then be derived from the noun, as in the case of wager n.², wager v. It is less easy to get from the sense of abet v. to that of bet v., since the original construction ought then to be, not ‘to bet money on a champion,’ etc., but ‘to bet (i.e. abet) a champion with money,’ of which no trace is found. See however abet v. 2b in sense of ‘to bet that.’(The suggestion that bet is < early Middle English beot n., ‘vow, promise, threat,’ has no support in the history or phonology.)

Etymology: See bet n.²

Etymology: Cognate with Old Frisian bet , Old Saxon bat , bet (Middle Low German bat , bet ), Old Dutch bat (Middle Dutch bat , bet , Dutch bat , bet ), Old High German baz (Middle High German baz , German bass ), Old Icelandic betr , Gothic batis < a suffixed form (comparative: see -er suffix³ 2) of the base seen also in better adj., best adj., and (with different ablaut grade) in boot n.¹ and beet v.; further etymology unknown. Form history. The Old English form bet shows i-mutation caused by the i of the comparative suffix (the origin of forms in the Germanic languages with (unmutated) -a- is uncertain and disputed). The complete loss of that ending already in Old English (rather than expected preservation as final -e ) is apparently by analogy with monosyllabic adverbial comparatives with a long stem, especially sēl better (see seler adj.). Development of senses. In the Germanic languages, originally used as a (suppletive) comparative adverb corresponding to well adv.; reflexes of a positive adverb from the same base do not appear to survive, although for discussion of evidence for a corresponding adjective see better adj. Use as a comparative adjective corresponding to well adj. is a secondary development: for discussion of its motivation see the etymological note at that entry. The comparative adjective better also came to be used as an adverb from at least the early Middle English period (see better adv. and compare etymological note at that entry), so that bet adv.¹ and better adv. coexisted as synonyms; this may have encouraged the reciprocal use of bet as an adjective (compare B.). By the end of the early modern period, bet adv.¹, adj., and n.¹ had been superseded in all its senses by better adj., n.¹, and adv., partly because the comparative function of the latter was more clearly marked (see -er suffix³). For similarly-formed inherited comparative adverbs superseded by formations in -er suffix³ compare e.g. leng adv. (beside longer ), Old English sēft more softly (see soft adv.), sēl better (see seler adj.).

Etymology: Origin and meaning doubtful.