| 释义 |
▪ I. † improve, v.1 Obs.
Also (6 emprove), 6–7 improove.
[a. OF. improver, F. improuver (Oresme, 14th c.), ad. L. improbāre to condemn, reject, disapprove, f. improbus bad: cf. probāre to make good, f. probus good.]
1. trans. To prove to be wrong; to disprove, refute, confute (a statement, etc., or a person).
c1449Pecock Repr. i. xiii. 70 For to improue and reproue the seid firste opinioun. 1531Tindale Exp. 1 John (1537) 8 Ye se..how we haue manifestly improued the ypocrites in an hundreth textes. 1554Bradford Serm. etc. (Parker Soc.) 91 Things which I have here brought forth to improve transubstantiation. 1581J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. 87 Whose doctrine when hee could by no meanes emprove, he rushed upon him like a Jolye Sycophaunte, with slaunders and reproches. 1606–10R. Field Hist. Ch. (1628) 359 This we deny, and will in due place improve their error therein. 1620Granger Div. Logike 336 A false Axiome is improoved two wayes.
2. To disapprove as bad; to disallow; to reprove, rebuke; to blame, censure, condemn.
1526Tindale 2 Tim. iii. 16 All scripture geven by inspiracion of god is proffitable to teache, to improve, to informe. 1546Bale Eng. Votaries 8 They haue improued that doctryne and taught the contrarye. 1551Robinson tr. More's Utop. i. (Arb.) 54 When they had improued and disallowed my sayinges. 1560Abp. Parker Corr. (Parker Soc.) 130 We trust your gracious zeal towards Christs religion will not improve our doings. 1615Bedwell Moham. Imp. ii. §63 This the Astronomers do denie: yea all Philosophers do improue this opinion. 1642Coll. Rights & Priv. Parl. 10 When subjects doe improove wicked decrees.
▪ II. improve, v.2|ɪmˈpruːv|
Forms: 5–6 enprow(e, improwe, emprow, emprou; 6–7 emproue, improue, 6–8 emprove, 7 improove, (8–9 pa. pple. (erron.) improven), 6– improve.
[In 16th c. en-, emprowe, a. AFr. en-, emprower, enprouwer, emprover (1292 in Britton), a parallel form (with prep. en instead of a) of aprower, in med.(Anglo-)L. appruare, approare; f. OF. en into + pro, prou, preu, oblique case of pros profit, advantage: see approve v.2
The normal phonetic descendant of the OF. verb would be emprow, improw (cf. allow) as in 16th c.; but, as in approve v.2, through confusion of u and v, and the influence of other words in which -proue stood for -prove, improwe, improue, has passed into improve.]
†1. refl. to improve (improwe) oneself (of): to make one's profit (of), to avail oneself (of) by using to one's profit. Obs.
Especially used of the lord's inclosing and bringing into cultivation of waste land: cf. approve v.2, and for the constr., Cath. Angl., ‘To approwe, Approare, sicut domini se faciunt de vastis’; i.e. as lords approwe (or improwe) themselves of wastes.
1523Fitzherb. Surv. 5 It is to be inquered..what of those wodes the lorde maye improwe him selfe & of howe many acres. Ibid. 6 If the lorde graunt a man commen with his catell within certayne meyres..& boundes, the lorde shall nat improue hym selfe within those meyres and boundes. 1655Fuller Hist. Camb. 6 The Townsmen..unconscionably improving themselves on the Scholars necessities, extorted unreasonable rents from them.
2. trans. To turn (a thing) to profit or good account, to employ to advantage; to make profitable use of, take advantage of, avail oneself of, utilize; to make use of, use, employ.
†a. To lay out, invest, or employ money to profit; to put out to interest. Obs.
[1292Britton iii. iii. §4 Et tut le profit qe il prist pur le mariage soit restoré as amis et as parentz la femme pur emprouer al oes la femme [let all the profit be restored to the woman's friends to emproue to the profit of the woman]. ]1646Bury Wills (Camden) 192 Item I give vnto Frances Browne, my grandchilde, fifty pounds, to be payd into her father's hands..and to be improued by him for her vse, and to be payd to her at her age of sixteene years. 1658Whole Duty Man xvii. §7. 140 To put his money in some sure hand, where he may both improve, and be certain of it at his need. a1680Butler Rem. (1759) I. 225 As if his Talent had been wrapt up in't Unthriftily, and now he went about Henceforward to improve, and put it out. c1850Arab. Nts. (Rtldg.) 356, I will..improve the money I have obtained, in some way of merchandise.
†b. To turn land to profit; to inclose and cultivate (waste land); hence to make land more valuable or better by such means, and so, in later use, merged in sense 5. (Cf. also sense 3.) ? Obs.
The ancient sense, or something akin to it, was retained in 17–early 20th c.in the American colonies.
[1292Britton iii. ii. §12 Villenage est tenement de demeynes de chescun seignur, baillé a tenir a sa volunté par vileins services de enprouwer al oes le seignur [the holding of a lord's demesne lands..to enprouwe to the profit of the lord]. ]1632Mass. Col. Rec. (1853) I. 94 If the..said John Winthrop shall..suffer the said ileland to lye wast, and not improue the same, then this present demise to be voide. 1642Mass. Colony Laws etc. §7 (Pickering) Where lands lye in common unfenced, if one man shall improve his land by fencing in several, and another shall not, he who shall so improve shall secure his lands against other men's cattle. 1653Early Rec. Lancaster, Mass. (1884) 27 The Plantation or Sellect men shall determine the time, how Longe every man shall hold and Improue the said Lands for the proffit thereof. 1684Attorney Gen. in State Trials (1735) VII. 574/2 All this piece of ground, of twenty acres, is built upon and improved. a1687Petty Pol. Arith. (1690) 96 Tangier and Bumbay have..been improved from a Desart condition to abound with People. 1700Evelyn Diary 13 July, The land was..thus improved for pleasure and retirement by the vast charge and industry of this opulent citizen. 1740W. Douglass Disc. Curr. Brit. Plant. Amer. 21 A good Farmer improves his Lands not by working them out of Heart..but by manuring them, that they may yield the better Crops. 1906L. L. Bell Carolina Lee 293, I could refuse an offer to improve my land, denuded and mortgaged as it is.
†c. To make profitable or advantageous use of, employ to advantage; to avail oneself of, utilize, use, employ as an instrument or means (a thing; also in American use, a person as an agent). Obs. or dial.
a1529Skelton P. Sparowe 790 His [Chaucer's] mater is delectable,..His Englysh well alowed, So as it is enprowed, For as it is enployed, There is no Englysh voyd. 1639Fuller Holy War iv. xiii. 191 The Egyptians standing on the firm ground, were thereby enabled to improue and inforce their darts to the utmost. 1650Cromwell Lett. Governor Edin. Castle 12 Sept. (Query i) in Carlyle, Improving the Covenant against the Godly and Saints in England. 1677W. Hubbard Narrative (1865) II. 75 Near some River..whose Streams are principally improved for the driving of Saw-mills. Ibid. 201 Such of the Women as were gifted at knitting and sewing, were improved to make Stockings and Garments. 1694in Willis & Clark Cambridge (1886) II. 461 Materials that may be vsefull for y⊇ College, to be improved for that vse or to be sold. 1704in B. Church Hist. Philip's War (1867) II. 137 All the Forces..that shall be improved in the Service to the Eastward of Casco-Bay. c1710C. Fiennes Diary (1888) 300 Every Corner is improved for Cupboards and necessarys. 1724in Early Rec. Lancaster, Mass. (1884) 216, I endeavour to Improve the men constantly to the most advantage. 1798in Root Amer. Law Rep. I. 173 The witnesses improved in the former trial were admitted.
d. (In American use.) To make use of or occupy a place.
1677W. Hubbard Narrative (1865) II. 71 Other Places adjoining were soon after seized, and improved for Trading and Fishing. 1782Rhode Island Colonial Rec. (1864) IX. 512 That Josiah Flagg..have the liberty of improving the cellars under the state house in Providence, as repositories for the public stores. 1803M. Cutler in Life, Jrnls. & Corr. (1888) II. 114 We found in the octagon hall, which seemed to be improved as a levee room, a large company. 1828Webster, Improve..6. To use; to occupy; to cultivate. ‘The house or farm is now improved by an industrious tenant.’ This application is perhaps peculiar to some parts of the United States. 1863Hawthorne Old Home (1883) I. 96 It has come to base uses in these latter days,—being improved, in Yankee phrase, as a brewery and washhouse.
e. To make good use of, turn to good account (an action, occurrence, event, season, time; now usually with occasion, opportunity, or the like).
1539Pollard, etc. in St. Pap. Hen. VIII, I. 619 [We] made so diligent enquirye and serche, that, with vigilante labour, we muche improvide the same. 1617Moryson Itin. ii. 213 So far did we..improve our time..that..within two daies we made this Fort guardable. 1677W. Hubbard Narrative (1865) I. 245 An Opportunity..was let slip, and not improved. Ibid. 256 Yet was their Labour well improved, and followed with good Success. 1720Watts Divine Songs xx, How doth the little busy bee Improve each shining hour! 1748Richardson Clarissa (1811) VIII. 267 Then for improving a hint, thou wert always a true Englishman. 1774J. Adams in Fam. Lett. (1876) 17 The fine weather..I hope has been carefully improved to get in my hay. 1844Lingard Anglo-Sax. Ch. (1858) I. ii. 78 He improved the opportunity. 1869Freeman Norm. Conq. III. xii. 159 His next thought was how to improve the occasion. 1878R. B. Smith Carthage 97 The Roman army improved the victory of their fleet by at once marching to Egesta.
f. To turn to account for spiritual profit or edification; esp. to preach or speak on, with a view to edification; now chiefly in to improve the occasion (which is felt as a contextual use of e).
1624Sanderson Twelve Serm. (1637) 487, I should also have desired..to have improved it [my Text] a little farther by a fourth Inference. 1650W. Brough Sacr. Princ. (1659) 67 Teach me to improve my poverty. 1676I. Mather K. Philip's War (1862) 64 The news of this Blood-shed came to us..in the midst of the Sermon, the Scripture then improved being that Isai. 42, 24. 1677W. Hubbard Narrative (1865) II. 249 Sad Events should rather be improved to our own Instruction, than the condemning of others. 1705Stanhope Paraphr. I. Pref. 12 The Expounding and improving the Portions of Scripture recommended to us. 1816Scott Old Mort. xviii, To improve the providential success which they had obtained by a word in season. 1823Scoresby Whale Fishery 127, I thought it my duty to address them, with the particular view of improving the serious impression evidently made upon them, by the awful death. 1857Lawrence Guy L. viii. 66, I had..little opportunity for ‘improving the occasion’, as the Nonconformists have it.
†3. To enhance in monetary value; to raise the price or amount of. Obs.
As said of lands and rents, app. connected with senses 1 and 2 b, land that was ‘emprowed’ or inclosed and cultivated being enhanced in value or in rent.
1548Lansdowne MS. 238, lf. 317 Noble men and gentlemen that haue not enprowed nor enhaunsed ther rentes. Ibid. lf. 324 Noble and gentlemen whiche had not emprowed nor enhaunsed ther rentes. 1616Bullokar, Improoue, to raise rents higher. 1617Moryson Itin. ii. 265 They improve their commodities to a treble price. Ibid. iii. 148 Yet this prodigall age hath so forced Gentlemen to improve their revenews, as many of these grounds are by them disparked, and converted to feede Cattell. 1626in Crt. & Times Chas. I (1848) I. 142 It will overthrow trade by the altering of the exchange,..improve Spain's bullion, enhance the price of all things. 1750Highlands of Scotland in 1750 (1898) 40 They have screwed their Rents to an extravagant Height (which they vitiously term improving their Estates).
†4.
a. To make greater in amount or degree; to increase, augment, magnify, enlarge, intensify; to advance. Obs. (Now merged in 5.)
1509Hawes Past. Pleas. (Percy Soc.) 124 Suche a one as thou..For thou thy selfe doost so much enprou Above the h[e]avens by exaltacion. 1676Lister in Ray's Corr. (1848) 125, I have much improved my Catalogue of Snails, having added five species thereto. a1687Waller To a Person of Honour 8 You have advanc'd to wonder their renown, And no less virtuously improv'd your own. 1690Child Disc. Trade (1694) 8 Some more particulars might be added, and those aforesaid further improved. 1727Philip Quarll (1816) 56 He found seven peas;..and thinking they might..be improved to a quantity large enough to serve for a meal, he laid them by. 1771Goldsm. Hist. Eng. I. 103 This sum..only served to improve their desire for fresh exactions.
†b. To increase or augment (what is evil), to aggravate, make worse. Obs.
1615Hieron Wks. I. 615 His tyranny began to be improued, and the burdens..were heauier then before. 1628tr. Camden's Hist. Eliz. (1629) II. 380 Defect of health and strength, which the indisposition of the aire.., being a filthy, windy, and rainy day, much improoued. 1647Cowley Mistress, Incurable vii, As wholesome Medicines the Disease improve, There where they work not well. 1718Penn Maxims Wks. 1726 I. 851 Thus Men improve their own Miseries, for want of an Equal and just Estimate of what they enjoy or lose. 1800Bp. Porteus Lect. Matt. xiii. (1802) I. 331 We all..have..by our own personal and voluntary transgressions, not a little improved the wretched inheritance we received from our ancestors.
5. To advance or raise to a better quality or condition; to bring into a more profitable or desirable state; to increase the value or excellence of; to make better; to better, ameliorate. (The prevailing modern sense, in which 2 b is now merged.)
1617Moryson Itin. ii. 219 To himselfe, whose endeavours in that Kingdome had much improved her opinion of him. 1698Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 182 The Mango (which they have improved in all its kinds to the utmost Perfection). 1706Phillips, To Improve, to better..to promote or advance, to bring to greater Perfection. 1733P. Lindsay Interest Scot. 167 The Reeds, Harness, Shuttles, and Temples,..lately given to the Weavers..have improven the Cloth in its Goodness much more. 1766Fordyce Serm. Yng. Wom. (1767) II. viii. 34 [She] had from her youth improved herself by reading. 1805Forsyth Beauties Scotl. (1806) III. 134 A large natural cave, which had been partly improven by art. 1862Sir B. Brodie Psychol. Inq. II. ii. 50 The habit of attention may be improved by exercise. 1888J. Inglis Tent Life Tigerland 184 The tobacco smoke had not improved his appearance, and..he..looked bad enough.
6. With into:
a. (in sense 2), To make into or represent as, for the sake of turning to account;
†b. (in sense 4), To turn into or represent as something greater, to magnify into (obs.);
c. (in sense 5), To convert into something better.
1647Clarendon Hist. Reb. iv. §38 Taking all opportunities, uncharitably, to improve Mistakes, into Crimes. 1687T. Brown Saints in Uproar Wks. 1730 I. 74 Improve this mole-hill into a mountain. 1700― tr. Fresny's Amusem. Ser. & Com. 76 Sometimes, that a Witty Vertuous Woman will improve a Dull Heavy Country Booby, into a Man of Sence. 1688South Serm. (1727) V. ix. 391 Did God vouch⁓safe such transcendent Blessings..only to be improved into the Food and Fewel of Intemperance? 1746Wesley Princ. Methodist 66 This very Thing you improve into a fresh Objection. 1758Leland Philip of Macedon i. i, It might have been the interest of Amyntas, to improve this incident of the birth of his son into a pledge of future happiness. 1818Jas. Mill Brit. India II. iv. iv. 155 Preparations..for improving the blockade into more expeditious methods of reduction. 1846J. W. Croker in C. Papers (1884) III. xxiv. 67 The [potato] failure..was..(as the Methodists say) improved into an ostensible excuse for the measure [Corn Law repeal]. [Cf. sense 1 f.]
7. With away or a phr. of similar meaning: To remove, get rid of, lose, spend, or cause to disappear, by making improvements.
1780Craig Mirror No. 69 ⁋5 My crops never paid for the expense of raising them: and..I found that I had improved away every shilling of my fortune. 1887Jessopp Arcady viii. 229 All the pinders are gone—improved off the face of the earth. 1887J. Ball Nat. in S. Amer. 213 It is a question whether, like most native races..they will ultimately be improved out of existence.
8. absol. To make improvements. to improve on or improve upon: to make or produce something better or more perfect than; to advance beyond. See improvement 6 b.
1699Bentley Phal. 277 By long use and experience..he might improve upon his own Invention. 1748J. Geddes Compos. Antients 362 Longinus here seems to have improven on the orator. 1771Junius Lett. lxvii. 331 The son has regularly improved upon the vices of his father. 1862Merivale Rom. Emp. (1865) VI. xlviii. 64 note, It was not beyond [his] means..to improve on this political master⁓piece. 1867H. Macmillan Bible Teach. xiii. (1870) 253 We cannot improve upon nature. Mod. A tenant who improves ought to have the value of his improvements secured to him.
†9. intr. To increase, augment, become greater, advance, develop. Obs. (exc. as merged in 10).
1650Greenhill Ezek. 77 Iniquity improves in the going. a1681R. Allestree Serm. (1684) I. 270 (L.) That fool..e'er long emproves into a wit. 1697Collier Ess. Mor. Subj. ii. (1702) 52 Admiration improves into Love. 1748Anson's Voy. ii. viii. 221 The relish improving upon them by degrees. 1776Johnson Let. to Thrale 3 June, The lameness..has improved to a very serious and troublesome fit of the gout. 1809W. Irving Knickerb. i. iii. (1849) 48 Intimacy improves with time.
10. intr. To increase in value or excellence; to advance or rise to a more excellent condition; to become better.
1727Swift To a Young Lady, It is a shame for an english lady not to relish such discourses, not to improve by them. 1737[S. Berington] G. di Lucca's Mem. 173 A Wine..mellowing and improving as it is kept. 1748Anson's Voy. ii. i. 111 This diversified landskip..still improved upon us the farther we advanced. 1796Jane Austen Pride & Prej. xii. 235 But afterwards she seemed to improve on you. 1805Pike Sources Mississ. i. App. (1810) 6 Their situation improves by a communication with the whites. 1834Medwin Angler in Wales I. 49 The scenery improves, and becomes wilder in its character. 1866Carlyle Inaug. Addr. 174 In..the best of all possible conditions to improve by that book. 1885Manch. Exam. 14 May 5/3 Our trade in the south has..improved.
▪ III. † improve, v.3 Obs.
[A variant of aprove, approve v.1, with change of prefix: perh. influenced by the corresp. change in improve v.2]
1. trans. To prove, establish, demonstrate, show to be true or real.
(Improued, in Hearne's R. Glouc. p. 466, is an error for iproued: cf. Rolls ed., line 9552.)
1613in Crt. & Times Jas. I (1849) I. 246, I..will hope to improve my industry and diligence such as you shall find no fault to complain that [etc.]. 1633Bp. Hall Hard Texts, N.T. 137 Doe thou shew and improve this love of thine to me in this one point. 1650Bulwer Anthropomet. 183 These Amazons discarding the tendernesse of their Sex, and desiring to improve themselves Virago's. 1670E. Borlase Lathom Spaw 8 More..I am persuaded that Mr. Hooke in his Book hath improved to Admiration.
b. intr. To prove or turn out to be. rare.
1612Davies Why Ireland etc. 95 Meanes for some great action, which..if hee had liued, woulde rather haue improued [ed. 1664 proved] a iourny into Fraunce then into Ireland.
2. trans. To approve, sanction, countenance.
1702C. Mather Magn. Chr. vii. 31 They that shall have too suddenly improved those Men, will be Partakers of their Sins. |