best bet
- noun
- /bɛst bɛt/
- So this probably is not your best bet when it comes to home protection.
This is still the best bet for the next lump sum of cash.
- This is still the best bet for the next lump sum of cash.
- So this probably is not your best bet when it comes to home protection.
- Addressing soil concerns first might be your best bet for your plants health.
- I think that not lying is your best bet.
- So for ground covers to usually the best bet is just to not use the weed barrier.
- And therefore Bitcoin or crypto is the best bet to take.
- And I thought starting every morning with a chocolate bar probably wasn't my best bet in terms of health and skin.
- It's not cheap, Yeah, but but there's a, it's probably your best bet on seeing polar bears anywhere on the planet.
- So your best bet is really just to have a plan in advance and stick to it.
- OK, podcast is going to be your best bet because it is the only form of natural content creation.
- There's so many things going on that are so exciting that it's not clear to me what's the best bet.
- So if you're in a conversation with a narcissist, your best bet is to just grab some popcorn and listen to them yammeron.
Examples
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So, our best bet is to get to the airport.
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The best bet here is for the intern to provide a variety of learning activities for pupils.
Academic text (1999) -
So your best bet is really just to have a plan in advance and stick to it.
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If you are going through the employer's website, your best bet would be to contact them directly.
Blog text (20) -
If we want to do the same, our best bet is to retrieve him by air.
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For a morning sunrise session, your best bet is usually the famous Flight Deck.
Academic text (2006) -
Posting in the morning is your best bet for high engagement.
Blog text (9) -
Your best bet is probably to take Fremont to the second light.
Fiction book (2000) -
"Your best bet is to head back to the freeway exit," said Meg.
Fiction book (1999) -
If you're looking for a reliable solution, your best bet is to hire an experienced professional.
Synonyms
A choice that is most suitable among other choices
To choose the most sensible action in a situation
The best way to do something when there are several options
A person or thing most likely to be chosen, for example to win
An option most people like best
How Likely
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'the most reliable or advisable option' is directly inferable from combining 'best' (most suitable) with 'bet' (a choice you wager on); a learner who knows both words can see it as the thing you would most confidently 'bet' on. The betting metaphor is transparent and common enough cross-linguistically that a B1 learner would likely understand the phrase without prior exposure.
Etymology
Best bet may come from betting at races, where a bet is a choice you make to try to 'win' and the 'best' bet is the one most likely to win. That's why today it means the option 'most likely to succeed'.