Diccionario ingles.comDiccionario ingles.com
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 |





"Improving" Quotes from Famous Books



... art editors, in their eagerness to get soft focus work, will buy a photograph because it is fuzzy, without regard to its quality. But the outlook for the pictorial worker in its financial possibilities is steadily improving." ...
— Pictorial Photography in America 1921 • Pictorial Photographers of America

... do what I had long desired, and favour me with his explanation of several passages in his works. It happened that just at that juncture was published a ridiculous book against him, full of personal reflections, which furnished him with a lucky opportunity of improving this poem, by giving it the only thing it wanted—a more considerable hero. He was always sensible of its defect in that particular, and owned he had let it pass with the hero it had purely for want ...
— Poetical Works of Pope, Vol. II • Alexander Pope

... the state of matters—two stone blind, three (if not four) stone dead, and two in exile living upon charity; amongst which last was Penultimate Soojah. It is proper to mention, by the way, as an appendix to the adventures of this old friend, that (improving upon his grandpapa's example) he had run off from his elder brother with the crown jewels; but, like Colonel Blood in our Charles II.'s reign, he benefited only by the glory of this distinguished larceny; for soon after, falling amongst thieves, at the head of whom was our late worthy ...
— Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine -- Vol. 56, No. 346, August, 1844 • Various

... that I was to be endowed: to what extent and upon what conditions I was now left for an hour to meditate in the wide and solitary thoroughfares of the new town, taking counsel with street-corner statues of George IV. and William Pitt, improving my mind with the pictures in the window of a music-shop, and renewing my acquaintance with Edinburgh east wind. By the end of the hour I made my way to Mr. Gregg's office, where I was placed, with a few appropriate words, in possession of a cheque for two thousand pounds and a small ...
— The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. 13 (of 25) • Robert Louis Stevenson

... if it might be, in a time of so great jealosy, I built by my Brother's permission a study, made a fishpond, an island, and some other solitudes and retirements, at Wotton, which gave the first occasion of improving them to those water-works and gardens which afterwards succeeded them, and became at that tyme the most famous of England.' But, willy nilly, he was bound to become dragged into action on the King's behalf. 'July 12th. I sent my black manege ...
— Sylva, Vol. 1 (of 2) - Or A Discourse of Forest Trees • John Evelyn


More quotes...



Copyright © 2025 Diccionario ingles.com