Part 5643

<blockquote>We shall especially honor God by <b>improving</b> diligently the talents which God hath committed to us. <i>Barrow.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>A hint that I do not remember to have seen opened and <b>improved</b>. <i>Addison.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>The court seldom fails to <b>improve</b> the oppotunity. <i>Blackstone.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>How doth the little busy bee <b>Improve</b> each shining hour. <i>I. Watts.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>Those moments were diligently improved. <i>Gibbon.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>True policy, as well as good faith, in my opinion, binds us to <b>improve</b> the occasion. <i>Washington.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>To advance or increase by use; to augment or add to; -- said with reference to what is bad.</def> <mark>[R.]</mark>

<blockquote>We all have, I fear, . . . not a little <b>improved</b> the wretched inheritance of our ancestors. <i>Bp. Porteus.</i></blockquote>

<syn>Syn. -- To better; meliorate; ameliorate; advance; heighten; mend; correct; recify; amend; reform.</syn>

<h1>Improve</h1> <Xpage=739>

<hw>Im*prove"</hw>, <tt>v. i.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>To grow better; to advance or make progress in what is desirable; to make or show improvement; <as>as, to <ex>improve</ex> in health</as>.</def>

<blockquote>We take care to <b>improve</b> in our frugality and diligence. <i>Atterbury.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>To advance or progress in bad qualities; to grow worse.</def> "Domitain <i>improved</i> in cruelty."

<i>Milner.</i>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>To increase; to be enhanced; to rise in value; <as>as, the price of cotton <ex>improves</ex></as>.</def>

<cs><mcol><col>To improve on</col> &or; <col>upon</col></mcol>, <cd>to make useful additions or amendments to, or changes in; to bring nearer to perfection; <as>as, <ex>to improve on<ex> the mode of tillage</as>.</cd></cs>

<h1>Improvement</h1> <Xpage=739>

<hw>Im*prove"ment</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>The act of improving; advancement or growth; promotion in desirable qualities; progress toward what is better; melioration; <as>as, the <ex>improvement</ex> of the mind, of land, roads, etc.</as></def>

<blockquote>I look upon your city as the best place of <b>improvement</b>. <i>South.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>Exercise is the chief source of <b>improvement</b> in all our faculties. <i>Blair.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>The act of making profitable use or applicaton of anything, or the state of being profitably employed; a turning to good account; practical application, as of a doctrine, principle, or theory, stated in a discourse.</def> "A good <i>improvement</i> of his reason."

<i>S. Clarke.</i>

<blockquote>I shall make some <b>improvement</b> of this doctrine. <i>Tillotson.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>The state of being improved; betterment; advance; also, that which is improved; <as>as, the new edition is an <ex>improvement</ex> on the old</as>.</def>

<blockquote>The parts of Sinon, Camilla, and some few others, are <b>improvements</b> on the Greek poet. <i>Addison.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>4.</b> <def>Increase; growth; progress; advance.</def>

<blockquote>There is a design of publishing the history of architecture, with its several <b>improvements</b> and decays. <i>Addison.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>Those vices which more particularly receive <b>improvement</b> by prosperity. <i>South.</i></blockquote>