I. ə̇mˈprüv transitive verb
Etymology: Middle English improven, from Middle French improver, from Latin improbare to disapprove, blame, reject — more at improbation
1.
a. obsolete : to show to be wrong : confute
b. Scots law : to prove false or forged : disprove , invalidate
2. obsolete : reprove , censure
II. verb
Etymology: alteration (influenced by approve ) of earlier emprou, emprow, from Anglo-French emprouer to invest profitably, to cultivate profitably, from Old French en- en- (I) + prou profit — more at prow
transitive verb
1.
a. : to make greater in amount or degree : increase , augment , enlarge , intensify
improved the chance that the committee could reach agreement
b. obsolete : to raise the price of
c. obsolete : to make (an evil) worse
2.
a. : to enhance in value or quality : make more profitable, excellent, or desirable
improve the appearance of a display
improve one's health by exercise
exhibited an improved optical viewfinder — Americana Annual
b. archaic : to speak on in order to make more generally profitable or turn to better spiritual account
c. : to increase the value of (land or property) by bringing under cultivation, reclaiming for agriculture or stock raising, erecting buildings or other structures, laying out streets, or installing utilities (as sewers)
improved farmland
d. Scots law : to grant (a lease) for a long term to encourage a tenant in good husbandry
e. : to grade and drain (a road) and apply surfacing material (as gravel, crushed rock, or oil) other than pavement
3. archaic
a. : to avail oneself of : employ , use
b. : occupy
4.
a. : to turn to profit or to good account : employ to good purpose : use to advantage
improve an opportunity to make friends
improve one's time by studying
b. archaic : to cause (money or capital) to yield a profit by investment
5.
a. : to turn or convert by improving
improve a nag into a racehorse
b. : to spend, remove, or dissipate by improvements
a tribe improved out of existence
intransitive verb
1.
a. : increase , augment
the price of cotton is improving
the demand for more commodities improved
b. : to rise in value : enhance in price
stocks are improving
2. : to advance or make progress in what is desirable : grow better
the invalid's health improved daily
Synonyms:
improve , better , ameliorate , and help mean to correct, make more acceptable, or bring nearer to a higher standard of goodness in part or in some degree. improve and better are general and interchangeable and are often used of things that are originally bad or unacceptable
famed for his quick wit and his ability to improve a script during a performance — G.S.Perry
increase his powers of field observation and notation while he improves his knowledge of the area — J.F.Hart & Eugene Mather
bettering the general conditions of tenant farmers — Current Biography
has invariably bettered the tunes and often transformed a doggerel text into excellent poetry — American Guide Series: Tennessee
ameliorate is applied chiefly to things that are unacceptable, especially conditions difficult to endure or causing suffering, and implies partial relief or alterations that make the conditions more tolerable
ameliorate the lot of thousands of victimized human beings — Arnold Bennett
abolish feudalism or ameliorate its vices — W.O.Douglas
his care in ameliorating personality conflicts — Harold Koontz & Cyril O'Donnell
help implies a bettering that still leaves room for improvement
help farmers meet the fertilizer shortage
exercises to help overcome a speech defect
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- improve on