Online dictionaryOnline dictionary
Synonyms, antonyms, pronunciation

  Home 		English Dictionary      examples: 'day', 'get rid of', 'New York Bay'




Improving   /ɪmprˈuvɪŋ/   Listen
verb
Improve  v. t.  
1.
To disprove or make void; to refute. (Obs.) "Neither can any of them make so strong a reason which another can not improve."
2.
To disapprove; to find fault with; to reprove; to censure; as, to improve negligence. (Obs.) "When he rehearsed his preachings and his doing unto the high apostles, they could improve nothing."


Improve  v. t.  (past & past part. improved; pres. part. improving)  
1.
To make better; to increase the value or good qualities of; to ameliorate by care or cultivation; as, to improve land. "I love not to improve the honor of the living by impairing that of the dead."
2.
To use or employ to good purpose; to make productive; to turn to profitable account; to utilize; as, to improve one's time; to improve his means. "We shall especially honor God by improving diligently the talents which God hath committed to us." "A hint that I do not remember to have seen opened and improved." "The court seldom fails to improve the opportunity." "How doth the little busy bee Improve each shining hour." "Those moments were diligently improved." "True policy, as well as good faith, in my opinion, binds us to improve the occasion."
3.
To advance or increase by use; to augment or add to; said with reference to what is bad. (R.) "We all have, I fear,... not a little improved the wretched inheritance of our ancestors."
Synonyms: To better; meliorate; ameliorate; advance; heighten; mend; correct; rectify; amend; reform.


Improve  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. "We take care to improve in our frugality and diligence."
2.
To advance or progress in bad qualities; to grow worse. "Domitian improved in cruelty."
3.
To increase; to be enhanced; to rise in value; as, the price of cotton improves.
To improve on or To improve upon, to make useful additions or amendments to, or changes in; to bring nearer to perfection; as, to improve on the mode of tillage.


adjective
Improving  adj.  Tending to improve, beneficial; growing better.
Improving lease (Scots Law), an extended lease to induce the tenant to make improvements on the premises.





Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48


Advanced search
     Find words:
Starting with
Ending with
Containing
Matching a pattern  

Synonyms
Antonyms
Quotes
Words linked to  

only single words


Share |
Add this dictionary
to your browser search bar




"Improving" Quotes from Famous Books



... night. To-day we again spent in improving our billets. The sailor is always known as the handy man, but I doubt if he would have a look in even with amateur Tommies like ourselves. We made scrapers for each barn door out of nothing, mats to scrape our ...
— Letters from France • Isaac Alexander Mack
... be brought to life again, and have their pathos. Those young heroes contending with Amazons on the frieze of the Mausoleum had best make haste with their bloody work, if young people's eyes can tell a true story. A type still of progress triumphant through injustice, set on improving things off the face of the earth, Theseus took occasion to attack the Amazons in their mountain home, not long after their ruinous conflict with Hercules, and hit them when they were down. That greater bully had laboured off on the world's highway, ...
— Greek Studies: A Series of Essays • Walter Horatio Pater
... exceptions, the terms of alliance were well understood, and many of the Cumbrian barons were liegemen to both the English and Scottish kings. Scotland was in a flourishing and fast-improving condition, and there was no mutual enmity or ...
— Cameos from English History, from Rollo to Edward II • Charlotte Mary Yonge
... may have it, and I'll keep an eye on the accounts. But you needn't think I'll sit at home "improving" myself: Not I. I'll do that church-work. That girl gave me a lesson this morning, ...
— The History of David Grieve • Mrs. Humphry Ward
... and strength, with the other qualifications you have mentioned. Once having got a footing in the country, he must watch the openings which are sure to present themselves: the man of talent will take advantage of them, and rise to wealth; the man without talent will go on slowly improving his condition, and will be happy and respected. What ...
— The Log House by the Lake - A Tale of Canada • William H. G. Kingston


More quotes...


Copyright © 2025 Dictionary One.com