> as lemmas

?a1430 T. Hoccleve Clothing of Virgin (Huntington) l. 103 in Minor Poems (1970) ii. 293 Heer-aftir the bettre to speede, And in hir grace cheerly for to stonde, Hir psalteer for to seye let vs fonde.

1508 J. Fisher Treat. Penyt. Psalmes Prol. sig. aa^v That all tho persones that ententyfely rede or here them may be styred the better to trace the way of eternall saluacyon.

1597 W. Raleigh Let. 30 Oct. (1999) 174 Of whos good service and the better to incorag others wee humble pray your lordships to have consideration.

1635 R. Brathwait tr. M. Silesio Arcadian Princesse iv. 168 Wee should willingly addresse our discourse unto you, all the better to satisfie our selves how those artfull experiments have wrought with you.

1680 J. Moxon Mech. Exercises I. xi. 202 The better to come at it with the Tool.

1725 New Canting Dict. at High-pads They have a Vizor-Mask, and two or three Perukes of different Colours and Make, the better to conceal themselves.

1763 Ann. Reg. 1762 84 Rioters..called White Boys, from their wearing shirts over their other cloaths, the better to distinguish each other by night.

1819 W. Scott Legend of Montrose Introd., in Tales of my Landlord 3rd Ser. III. 136 The right side of his head a little turned up, the better to catch..the clergyman's voice.

1875 tr. J. Grimm & W. Grimm in Wonder-world 22 ‘Oh! but, Granny, what a terrible big mouth you have!’ ‘All the better to eat you with!’ And scarcely had the wolf uttered this, than..he..seized poor Little Red-Riding-Hood.

1930 C. Beaton Diary in Self Portrait with Friends (1979) iii. 30 Rex Whistler could not resist touching up the flowing chevelure and mustachios, the better to conform with the other murals.

1988 P. Monette Borrowed Time x. 264 He'd spent three years in Paris..walking around and sitting over coffee, all the better to people-watch.

2008 P. Hensher Northern Clemency 3 Both had the habit, at a party, of moving swiftly to the back wall the better to watch arrivals.