Nearby Words
verb (used with object)
1.
to bring into a more desirable or excellent condition: He took vitamins to improve his health.
2.
to make (land) more useful, profitable, or valuable by enclosure, cultivation, etc.
3.
to increase the value of (real property) by betterments, as the construction of buildings and sewers.
4.
to make good use of; turn to account: He improved the stopover by seeing a client with offices there.
verb (used without object)
5.
to increase in value, excellence, etc.; become better: The military situation is improving.
6.
to make improvements, as by revision, addition, or change: None of the younger violinists have been able to improve on his interpretation of that work.
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Improving
is always a great word to know.
So is bezoar. Does it mean:
| the offspring of a zebra and a donkey. |
| a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison. |
Origin:
1425–75; late Middle English improuen, emprouen < Anglo-French emprouer to turn (something) into profit, derivative of phrase en prou into profit, equivalent to en (see en-1) + prou, Old French prou, preu < Late Latin prōde (est), by reanalysis of Latin prōdest (it) is beneficial, of use, with prōde taken as a neuter noun (compare proud); v by association with prove, approve
1425–75; late Middle English improuen, emprouen < Anglo-French emprouer to turn (something) into profit, derivative of phrase en prou into profit, equivalent to en (see en-1) + prou, Old French prou, preu < Late Latin prōde (est), by reanalysis of Latin prōdest (it) is beneficial, of use, with prōde taken as a neuter noun (compare proud); v by association 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
pre·im·prove, verb (used with object), pre·im·proved, pre·im·prov·ing.
EXPANDSynonyms
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).
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.
1, 5. worsen.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source
|
Link To improving
WordNet
| improving | |
adjective | |
| getting higher or more vigorous; "its an up market"; "an improving economy" |
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
Cite This Source
Cite This Source
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