get the better of sb

on Page 83: "narrator's triumphs very often take the form of getting the better of somebody in dialogue, and this is exemplified by the use of reported speech,

Definition

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get the better of sb
1 to defeat someone in a competition:
He fought fiercely, but his opponent easily got the better of him.

2 If a feeling gets the better of you, you cannot stop yourself from allowing that feeling to make you do something, despite knowing that what you are doing is wrong:
Her curiosity got the better of her and she opened the door and peeped inside.