The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Had \Had\ (h[a^]d), imp. & p. p. of Have. [OE. had, hafde,
   hefde, AS. h[ae]fde.]
   See Have.
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   Had as lief, Had rather, Had better, Had as soon,
      etc., with a nominative and followed by the infinitive
      without to, are well established idiomatic forms. The
      original construction was that of the dative with forms of
      be, followed by the infinitive. See Had better, under
      Better.
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            And lever me is be pore and trewe.
            [And more agreeable to me it is to be poor and
            true.]                                --C. Mundi
                                                  (Trans.).
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            Him had been lever to be syke.
            [To him it had been preferable to be sick.]
                                                  --Fabian.
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            For him was lever have at his bed's head
            Twenty bookes, clad in black or red, . . .
            Than robes rich, or fithel, or gay sawtrie.
                                                  --Chaucer.
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   Note: Gradually the nominative was substituted for the
         dative, and had for the forms of be. During the process
         of transition, the nominative with was or were, and the
         dative with had, are found.
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               Poor lady, she were better love a dream. --Shak.
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               You were best hang yourself.       --Beau. & Fl.
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               Me rather had my heart might feel your love
               Than my unpleased eye see your courtesy. --Shak.
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               I hadde levere than my scherte,
               That ye hadde rad his legende, as have I.
                                                  --Chaucer.
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               I had as lief not be as live to be
               In awe of such a thing as I myself. --Shak.
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               I had rather be a dog and bay the moon,
               Than such a Roman.                 --Shak.
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               I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my
               God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
                                                  --Ps. lxxxiv.
                                                  10.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Better \Bet"ter\, a.; compar. of Good. [OE. betere, bettre, and
   as adv. bet, AS. betera, adj., and bet, adv.; akin to Icel.
   betri, adj., betr, adv., Goth. batiza, adj., OHG. bezziro,
   adj., baz, adv., G. besser, adj. and adv., bass, adv., E.
   boot, and prob. to Skr. bhadra excellent. See Boot
   advantage, and cf. Best, Batful.]
   1. Having good qualities in a greater degree than another;
      as, a better man; a better physician; a better house; a
      better air.
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            Could make the worse appear
            The better reason.                    --Milton.
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   2. Preferable in regard to rank, value, use, fitness,
      acceptableness, safety, or in any other respect.
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            To obey is better than sacrifice.     --1 Sam. xv.
                                                  22.
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            It is better to trust in the Lord than to put
            confidence in princes.                --Ps. cxviii.
                                                  9.
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   3. Greater in amount; larger; more.
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   4. Improved in health; less affected with disease; as, the
      patient is better.
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   5. More advanced; more perfect; as, upon better acquaintance;
      a better knowledge of the subject.
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   All the better. See under All, adv.

   Better half, an expression used to designate one's wife.
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            My dear, my better half (said he),
            I find I must now leave thee.         --Sir P.
                                                  Sidney.
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   To be better off, to be in a better condition.

   Had better. (See under Had).

   Note: The phrase had better, followed by an infinitive
         without to, is idiomatic. The earliest form of
         construction was "were better" with a dative; as, "Him
         were better go beside." (--Gower.) i. e., It would be
         better for him, etc. At length the nominative (I, he,
         they, etc.) supplanted the dative and had took the
         place of were. Thus we have the construction now used.
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               By all that's holy, he had better starve
               Than but once think this place becomes thee not.
                                                  --Shak.
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