Definition

Verb (phrasal verb) 1. To be defeated or overcome by something, despite one's efforts: This phrase describes a situation where a person or thing is ultimately overpowered or outmatched by another force, often an abstract one like an emotion, a circumstance, or a rival. It implies a loss of control or a failure to prevail.

Usage

• The phrase "have the best of" is almost exclusively used in the passive construction "get/have the best of [someone/something]".
• It is used to indicate that a person, emotion, or situation has gained dominance over another.
• It often carries a connotation of a struggle where one side finally succumbs.

Examples

• Emotion overcoming a person:
  • Her curiosity got the best of her, and she opened the mysterious letter.
  • Don't let your anger have the best of you; stay calm.
• A situation or opponent overcoming a person:
  • After a long debate, fatigue finally got the best of the speaker.
  • The champion boxer had the best of his opponent in every round.

Advanced Usage

• The phrase can be used with inanimate subjects to personify them.
  • The sheer complexity of the problem finally got the best of the research team.
  • In the end, the harsh winter had the best of the old cabin.

Variants and Related Words

• Get the best of: This is the more common variant and is interchangeable with "have the best of." It often emphasizes the process of being overcome.
  • My fear of heights got the best of me, and I couldn't climb any higher.

Synonyms

• Overcome: To defeat or succeed in controlling something.
• Overpower: To be too strong for; to defeat by greater strength.
• Prevail over: To prove more powerful or superior.
• Get the better of: A near-identical idiom with the same meaning.

Related Idioms

• Lose out to: To be defeated or replaced by someone or something else.
  • Our original plan lost out to a more practical proposal.
• Succumb to: To fail to resist pressure, temptation, or illness.
  • He succumbed to his injuries after the accident.

Verb

1. overcome, usually through no fault or weakness of the person that is overcome
   • Heart disease can get the best of us