improve

improve
verb (improved; improving) Etymology: Middle English improuen, emprouen, from Anglo-French emprouer to make profit from, from French en- + pru, prou advantage, from Late Latin prode — more at proud Date: circa 1529 transitive verb 1. archaic employ, use 2. a. to enhance in value or quality ; make better b. to increase the value of (land or property) by making it more useful for humans (as by cultivation or the erection of buildings) c. to grade and drain (a road) and apply surfacing material other than pavement 3. to use to good purpose intransitive verb 1. to advance or make progress in what is desirable 2. to make useful additions or amendments • improvability nounimprovable adjectiveimprover noun Synonyms: improve, better, help, ameliorate mean to make more acceptable or to bring nearer a standard. improve and better are general and interchangeable and apply to what can be made better whether it is good or bad <
measures to further improve the quality of medical care
>
<
immigrants hoping to better their lot
>
. help implies a bettering that still leaves room for improvement <
a coat of paint would help that house
>
. ameliorate implies making more tolerable or acceptable conditions that are hard to endure <
tried to ameliorate the lives of people in the tenements
>
.

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • improve — im‧prove [ɪmˈpruːv] verb 1. [intransitive, transitive] FINANCE if shares, prices etc improve by a particular amount, they rise by that amount: • Jaguar improved 21p, closing at 665p. improve by • Hungary s dollar current account improved by a… …   Financial and business terms

  • improve — 1 Improve, better, help, ameliorate are comparable when denoting to mend or correct in part or in some de gree. Improve, the general term, and better, more vigorous and homely, apply both to objects and to states or conditions that are not of… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Improve — Im*prove , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Improved}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Improving}.] [Pref. in in + prove, in approve. See {Approve}, {Prove.}] 1. To make better; to increase the value or good qualities of; to ameliorate by care or cultivation; as, to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Improve — Im*prove , v. i. 1. To grow better; to advance or make progress in what is desirable; to make or show improvement; as, to improve in health. [1913 Webster] We take care to improve in our frugality and diligence. Atterbury. [1913 Webster] 2. To… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • improve — [im pro͞ov′] vt. improved, improving [earlier improw < Anglo Fr emprower < en , in + prou, gain, advantage < LL prode, advantage (back form. < L prodesse, to be of advantage): see PRO 2 & IS1] 1. Now Rare to use profitably or to good… …   English World dictionary

  • Improve — Im*prove , v. t. [Pref. im not + prove: cf. L. improbare, F. improuver.] 1. To disprove or make void; to refute. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] Neither can any of them make so strong a reason which another can not improve. Tyndale. [1913 Webster] 2. To… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • improve\ on — • improve (up)on v To make or get one that is better than (another). Dick made good marks the first year, but he thought he could improve on them. Charles built a new model racer for the derby race, because he knew he could improve upon his old… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • improve — I verb advance, ameliorate, amend, appreciate, beautify, correct, cultivate, cure, develop, doctor, edify, edit, elaborate, elevate, embellish, emend, enhance, ennoble, enrich, fix, flourish, gain, gain strength, heighten, help, increase,… …   Law dictionary

  • improve — (v.) late 15c., to use to one s profit, to increase (income), from Anglo Fr. emprouwer to turn to profit (late 13c.), from O.Fr. en , causative prefix, + prou profit, from L. prode advantageous (see PROUD (Cf. proud)). Spelling with v was rare… …   Etymology dictionary

  • improve — ► VERB 1) make or become better. 2) (improve on/upon) achieve or produce something better than. 3) (improving) giving moral or intellectual benefit. DERIVATIVES improvability noun improvable adjective improver …   English terms dictionary

  • Improve — means to make something better. It may also refer to:Improver* Bread improver * Improver Corporation: Improver v Remington, a 1990 United Kingdom patent infringement law court caseImproved* Improved clinch knot, a knot * Most Improved Player, a… …   Wikipedia

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