The full expression is= I HAD better ; the form is that of a past , yet, the meaning is in the present or future . For example, You had better finish this one before starting another, or We had best be going. Definition and synonyms of (had) better do something from the online English dictionary from Macmillan Education.. [Mid-1400s] Also see you'd better believe it. The expansion of the contracted sentence is thus You had better put your results in another place (btw, use in after put with place). This is the British English definition of (had) better do something.View American English definition of (had) better do something.. Change your default dictionary to American English. It would be a good idea for you to listen to what he has to say. Explanation of the English phrase "you'd better (do something)": Saying to someone "you'd better ___" is a very strong and direct way of telling them what to do. – John Lawler Jan 12 '14 at 19:03 You'd better be home at 11 or else you are grounded! You use it when you're fighting with someone. I am one of the many who reject the use of better for had better; there are far more than "a couple" of us. You'd better discuss this issue with Bruno. Learn more. you'd definition: 1. short form of you had: 2. short form of you would: 3. short form of you had: . It was the fourth clip played upon MTV's launch on August 1,1981 and was also the 54th visual to be aired on the fledgling music channel, making it the first video to be shown on MTV more than once. 1) YOU'D BETTER = "You would be better off doing this' : this expression is a warning (sometimes implying a threat). You'd best listen to what he has to say. Well, you'd better believe she returns the compliment. It's used to give advice and orders , including to the person who's speaking! The black-and-white music video features the band and keyboardist John Bundrick playing the song onstage. (And I wouldn't trust a usage guide whose editors don't know how to … In the idiom you'd better VP, you'd represents you had, and not you would.You can also say you would, but not normally before better, which is the idiom.That's why they don't match. View in context 'Tis a maxim tremendous, but trite: And you'd best be unpacking the things that you need To rig yourselves out for the fight." Here are some situations where you can use "you'd better ___": If you're a parent, you can use it when telling your children what to do. In informal English, we sometimes say I had best, used with the same meaning: I'd best go home. Actually I think it's more like a warning. "You better take this" is a common colloquial form of "You'd better take this", i.e. You'd better be here on time tomorrow or else you are fired. They do mean the same, but only one is grammatically correct: you had better (or the contraction you'd better). "You had better take this". It would be good for me to go home. If we say it after someone says I'm sorry, we are showing that we are still hostile and ready to get angry (or fight in some cases). Yes, there is a difference. "Had better" is an idiom which functions as a modal auxiliary, meaning something like "should" or "need to". Literally it means something like "It would be better if you took this", but it is not really analysable in modern English. Also, had best.Ought to, should.