improve meaning

• Verb: improve  im'proov
  1. To make better
     "The editor improved the manuscript with his changes"
     - better, amend, ameliorate, meliorate 
  2. Get better
     "The weather improved toward evening"
     - better, ameliorate, meliorate

  Derived forms: improved, improving, improves

  See also: improvement, improver

  Type of: alter, change, change state, modify, turn

  Encyclopedia: Improve

• 
  [Business]
  verb [+ obj or no obj]

  to become better than before; to make sth/sb better than before:

  Market conditions have improved considerably.

  The shares improved 5¢ to 542¢.

  We aim to improve efficiency at all our plants.

  I need to improve my French.

  an improved quality of service

  The company needs to improve performance in all these areas.

  sb/sth begins/continues/fails/starts to improve

  ◆ to aim/attempt/try/work to improve sth

  ◆ to improve (sth) considerably/greatly/dramatically/significantly to improve (sth) continuously/slightly/slowly/steadily

  PHRASAL VERBS

  improve on/upon sth

  to achieve or produce sth that is of a better quality than sth else:

  We've certainly improved on last year's figures.

• improve on:    improve on/upon st ...
• on the improve:     (Aust)   ...
• improve on-upon:    improve on/upon st ...

Examples

1. things will improve as time goes on.
2. the haze of distance improves the view.
3. "keeping improving " is our watchword.
4. the condition of her family was not improving ..
5. the students have improved their listening.