Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
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- [im-proov]
- /ɪmˈpruv/
- /ɪmˈpruːv/
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [im-proov]
- /ɪmˈpruv/
Definitions of improve word
- verb with object improve to bring into a more desirable or excellent condition: He took vitamins to improve his health. 1
- verb with object improve to make (land) more useful, profitable, or valuable by enclosure, cultivation, etc. 1
- verb with object improve to increase the value of (real property) by betterments, as the construction of buildings and sewers. 1
- verb with object improve to make good use of; turn to account: He improved the stopover by seeing a client with offices there. 1
- verb without object improve to increase in value, excellence, etc.; become better: The military situation is improving. 1
- verb without object improve 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. 1
Information block about the term
Origin of improve
First appearance:
before 1425 One of the 25% oldest English words
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 (cf. proud); v by association with prove, approve
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Improve
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
improve popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 96% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".
improve usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for improve
verb improve
- advance — To advance means to move forward, often in order to attack someone.
- upgrade — an incline going up in the direction of movement.
- develop — When something develops, it grows or changes over a period of time and usually becomes more advanced, complete, or severe.
- help — to give or provide what is necessary to accomplish a task or satisfy a need; contribute strength or means to; render assistance to; cooperate effectively with; aid; assist: He planned to help me with my work. Let me help you with those packages.
- reform — the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, corrupt, unsatisfactory, etc.: social reform; spelling reform.
Antonyms for improve
verb improve
- recede — to go or move away; retreat; go to or toward a more distant point; withdraw.
- retreat — the forced or strategic withdrawal of an army or an armed force before an enemy, or the withdrawing of a naval force from action.
- retrogress — to go backward into an earlier and usually worse condition: to retrogress to infantilism.
- decrease — When something decreases or when you decrease it, it becomes less in quantity, size, or intensity.
- repress — to keep under control, check, or suppress (desires, feelings, actions, tears, etc.).
Top questions with improve
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See also
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