Improve

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: im=prove

CIDE DICTIONARY

Improve, v. t. [Pref. im- not + prove: cf. L. improbare, F. improuver.].

•  To disprove or make void; to refute.  [1913 Webster]

  "Neither can any of them make so strong a reason which another can not improve."  [1913 Webster]
•  To disapprove; to find fault with; to reprove; to censure; as, to improve negligence.  Chapman.  [1913 Webster]

  "When he rehearsed his preachings and his doing unto the high apostles, they could improve nothing."  [1913 Webster]

Improve, v. t. [Pref. in- in + prove, in approve. See Approve, Prove.].

•  To make better; to increase the value or good qualities of; to ameliorate by care or cultivation; as, to improve land.  Donne.  [1913 Webster]

  "I love not to improve the honor of the living by impairing that of the dead."  [1913 Webster]
•  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.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]

  "We shall especially honor God by improving diligently the talents which God hath committed to us."  [1913 Webster]

  "A hint that I do not remember to have seen opened and improved."  [1913 Webster]

  "The court seldom fails to improve the opportunity."  [1913 Webster]

  "How doth the little busy bee
  Improve each shining hour."  [1913 Webster]

  "Those moments were diligently improved."  [1913 Webster]

  "True policy, as well as good faith, in my opinion, binds us to improve the occasion."  [1913 Webster]
•  To advance or increase by use; to augment or add to; -- said with reference to what is bad.  [1913 Webster]

  "We all have, I fear, . . . not a little improved the wretched inheritance of our ancestors."

Syn. -- To better; meliorate; ameliorate; advance; heighten; mend; correct; rectify; amend; reform.

Improve, v. i. 

•  To grow better; to advance or make progress in what is desirable; to make or show improvement; as, to improve in health.  [1913 Webster]

  "We take care to improve in our frugality and diligence."  [1913 Webster]
•  To advance or progress in bad qualities; to grow worse.  Milner.  [1913 Webster]
•  To increase; to be enhanced; to rise in value; as, the price of cotton improves.  [1913 Webster]

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.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Improve, v.
1 a tr. & intr. make or become better. b intr. (foll. by on, upon) produce something better than.
2 absol. (as improving adj.) giving moral benefit (improving literature).

Etymology

orig. emprowe, improwe f. AF emprower f. OF emprou f. prou profit, infl. by PROVE

THESAURUS

Improve

accommodate, acculturate, adapt, adjust, advance, alter, ameliorate, amend, apprentice, be changed, be converted into, be renewed, benefit, benefit from, best, better, boost, bottom out, brace up, break, break in, break up, breed, bring forward, bring up, cap, capitalize on, cash in on, change, checker, chop, chop and change, civilize, come about, come along, come around, come on, come round, complete, condition, convalesce, convert, correct, crown, culminate, cultivate, deform, degenerate, denature, deteriorate, develop, deviate, discipline, diverge, diversify, do to perfection, drill, edify, edit, educate, elevate, emend, enhance, enlighten, enrich, exceed, excel, exercise, exploit, fatten, favor, fetch up, fit, fix up, flop, form, forward, foster, further, gain, gain ground, gain strength, get ahead, get along, get better, go ahead, go forward, go one better, go straight, graduate, groom, grow better, haul around, help, house-train, housebreak, illume, illumine, improve on, improve the occasion, improve upon, increase, irradiate, jibe, lard, lick into shape, lift, look up, make an improvement, make capital of, make hay, make headway, make progress, make strides, mature, meliorate, mend, mitigate, modernize, modify, modulate, mutate, nurse, nurture, outweigh, overbalance, overbear, overcome, overhaul, overpass, overthrow, overtop, perfect, perk up, pick up, practice, predominate, prepare, preponderate, prevail, profit by, progress, promote, put in tune, put right, put to advantage, put to school, qualify, raise, rally, re-create, ready, realign, rear, rebuild, recondition, reconstruct, recover, recruit, rectify, recuperate, redeem, redesign, redress, refine, refine upon, refit, reform, refurbish, rehabilitate, rehearse, remake, remedy, remodel, renew, renovate, repair, reshape, restructure, revamp, revise, revive, ring the changes, ripen, rub up, send to school, set right, shape up, shift, shift the scene, show improvement, shuffle the cards, skyrocket, sleep it off, socialize, straighten out, strengthen, subvert, surpass, swerve, tack, take a turn, take advantage of, take in hand, take off, top, tower above, tower over, trade on, train, transcend, transfigure, transform, trump, turn, turn aside, turn into, turn the corner, turn the scale, turn the tables, turn the tide, turn to account, turn to profit, turn to use, turn upside down, undergo a change, update, upgrade, uplift, use to advantage, vary, veer, warp, work a change, worsen

ROGET THESAURUS

Improve

Goodness

VB be beneficial, produce good, do good, profit, benefit, confer a benefit, be the making of, do a world of good, make a man of, produce a good effect, do a good turn, confer an obligation, improve, do no harm, break no bones, be good, excel, transcend, bear away the bell, stand the proof, stand the test, pass muster, pass an examination, challenge comparison, vie, emulate, rival.

Improvement

VB improve, be better, become better, get better, mend, amend, advance, ascend, increase, fructify, ripen, mature, pick up, come about, rally, take a favorable turn, turn over a new leaf, turn the corner, raise one's head, sow one's wild oats, recover, be better, be improved by, turn to right account, turn to good account, turn to best account, profit by, reap the benefit of, make good use of, make capital out of, place to good account, render better, improve, mend, amend, better, ameliorate, meliorate, correct, decrassify, improve upon, refine upon, rectify, enrich, mellow, elaborate, fatten, promote, cultivate, advance, forward, enhance, bring forward, bring on, foster, invigorate, touch up, rub up, brush up, furbish up, bolster up, vamp up, brighten up, warm up, polish, cook, make the most of, set off to advantage, prune, repair, put in order, review, revise, make corrections, make improvements, doctor, purify, relieve, refresh, infuse new blood into, recruit, reform, remodel, reorganize, new model, view in a new light, think better of, appeal from Philip drunk to Philip sober, palliate, mitigate, lessen an evil, improve, be better, become better, get better, mend, amend, advance, ascend, increase, fructify, ripen, mature, pick up, come about, rally, take a favorable turn, turn over a new leaf, turn the corner, raise one's head, sow one's wild oats, recover, be better, be improved by, turn to right account, turn to good account, turn to best account, profit by, reap the benefit of, make good use of, make capital out of, place to good account, render better, improve, mend, amend, better, ameliorate, meliorate, correct, decrassify, improve upon, refine upon, rectify, enrich, mellow, elaborate, fatten, promote, cultivate, advance, forward, enhance, bring forward, bring on, foster, invigorate, touch up, rub up, brush up, furbish up, bolster up, vamp up, brighten up, warm up, polish, cook, make the most of, set off to advantage, prune, repair, put in order, review, revise, make corrections, make improvements, doctor, purify, relieve, refresh, infuse new blood into, recruit, reform, remodel, reorganize, new model, view in a new light, think better of, appeal from Philip drunk to Philip sober, palliate, mitigate, lessen an evil.

Teaching

VB teach, instruct, educate, edify, school, tutor, cram, prime, coach, enlighten, inculcate, indoctrinate, inoculate, infuse, instill, infix, ingraft, infiltrate, imbue, impregnate, implant, graft, sow the seeds of, disseminate, given an idea of, put up to, put in the way of, set right, sharpen the wits, enlarge the mind, give new ideas, open the eyes, bring forward, teach the young idea how to shoot, improve, expound, lecture, read a lesson, give a lesson, give a lecture, give a sermon, give a discourse, incept, hold forth, preach, sermonize, moralize, point a moral, train, discipline, bring up, bring up to, form, ground, prepare, qualify, drill, exercise, practice, habituate, familiarize with, nurture, drynurse, breed, rear, take in hand, break, break in, tame, preinstruct, initiate, inure, put to nurse, send to school, direct, guide, direct attention to, impress upon the mind, impress upon the memory, beat into, beat into the head, convince, book, workbook, exercise book, preach to the wise, teach one's grandmother to suck eggs, teach granny to suck eggs, preach to the converted.