best end: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Specialist (butchery, cooking), formal (metaphorical usage).
Quick answer
What does “best end” mean?
A specific butchery cut from the rib section of lamb, typically comprising 4-6 rib chops.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A specific butchery cut from the rib section of lamb, typically comprising 4-6 rib chops.
The superior, often more tender and expensive, portion of a cut of meat; by metaphorical extension, the most desirable part of something.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
"Best end" is standard UK butchery terminology. In the US, the equivalent cut is most commonly called a "rack of lamb" or "rib rack". The metaphorical use is understood but rare in both varieties.
Connotations
In the UK, the term carries connotations of traditional butchery and high-quality meat for roasting. In the US, the term itself is largely unknown; the concept is associated with fine dining via "rack of lamb".
Frequency
Moderately frequent in UK cookery writing and butchery; extremely low frequency in general US English.
Grammar
How to Use “best end” in a Sentence
the best end of [MEAT, e.g., lamb, neck]V + best end (e.g., prepare, roast, carve)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “best end” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- For the recipe, you'll need a best-end joint, neatly trimmed.
- Ask the butcher for best-end chops.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used metaphorically in high-end marketing: 'We offer our clients the best end of the market.'
Academic
Rare; could appear in historical or sociological studies of food and class.
Everyday
Low frequency. Known mainly to home cooks and those who buy meat from a traditional butcher.
Technical
Standard term in UK butchery manuals and culinary textbooks.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “best end”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “best end”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “best end”
- Using 'best end' to refer to the best part of anything (overextension). Confusing it with 'prime rib' (which is beef). Using it in American contexts without explanation.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Rarely. It is almost exclusively associated with lamb (or sometimes mutton). For pork, similar cuts have different names like 'rack of pork'.
Only if you are specifically discussing cuts of lamb. Its metaphorical use is quite formal and literary, so it would sound unusual in casual chat.
The 'scrag end' or 'shank end', which are from the neck and leg respectively, are tougher, cheaper cuts considered the opposite in quality.
It refers to the rib section, which is typically the most tender, succulent, and least worked part of the animal, hence considered the 'best' for roasting.
A specific butchery cut from the rib section of lamb, typically comprising 4-6 rib chops.
Best end is usually specialist (butchery, cooking), formal (metaphorical usage). in register.
Best end: in British English it is pronounced /ˌbest ˈend/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌbɛst ˈɛnd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “the best end of the stick (variant of 'the better end of the stick')”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a line of lamb cuts. The BEST ones are at the rib END, not the shoulder or leg end.
Conceptual Metaphor
QUALITY IS POSITION (The best quality is located at a specific, favoured end point.)
Practice
Quiz
In American English, the cut of meat known in the UK as 'best end of lamb' is most commonly called: