Origin: 1425–75; late ME
improuen, emprouen < AF
emprouer to turn (something) into profit, deriv. of phrase
en prou into profit, equiv. to
en (
see en- 1 ) +
prou, OF
prou, preu < LL
prōde (
est), by reanalysis of L
prōdest (it) is beneficial, of use, with
prōde taken as a neut. n. (
cf. proud );
v by assoc. with
prove, approve 
Related forms: im⋅prov⋅a⋅ble, adjective
im⋅prov⋅a⋅bil⋅i⋅ty, im⋅prov⋅a⋅ble⋅ness, noun
im⋅prov⋅a⋅bly, adverb
im⋅prov⋅ing⋅ly, adverb
Synonyms:
1. amend, emend. Improve, ameliorate, better imply bringing to a more desirable state. Improve usually implies remedying a lack or a felt need: to improve a process, oneself (as by gaining more knowledge). Ameliorate, a formal word, implies improving oppressive, unjust, or difficult conditions: to ameliorate working conditions. To better is to improve conditions which, though not bad, are unsatisfying: to better an attempt, oneself (gain a higher salary).
Antonyms:
1, 5. worsen.
[im-proov] 
verb, -proved, -prov⋅ing.