Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
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- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Ĭm'pro-dūced', a. p. 668Not produced. [Obs.] Ray.Im’pro-fi’cience or Im’pro-fi’cien-cy, n. p. 668Want of proficiency. [Rare.] Bacon.Im-prŏf'it-a-ble, a. p. 668Unprofitable. [Obs.] Sir T. Elyot.Im'pro·grēss'ive, a. p. 668Not progressive. [Rare.] Cathedral cities in England, imperial cities without manufactures in Germany, are all in an improgressive condition. De Quincey.Ĭm’pro-grĕss′īve-ly, adv. p. 668In an improgressive manner. [Rare.] Hare.Ĭm′pro·lĭf′ĭc, a. p. 668Not prolific; unfruitful; improductive. [Obs.] Waterhouse.Im’pro-lif’ic-āte, v. t. p. 668To impregnate; to fecundate. [Obs.] Browne.Im-prŏmpt', a. p. 668Not ready; unprepared. [Obs.] “So imprompt, so ill-prepared to stand the shock.” Sterne.Im-prōmp'tū, adv. or a. p. 668Off-hand; without previous study; as, a verse uttered or written impromptu; an impromptu epigram.Im-prŏmp'tū, n. p. 668A piece made off-hand, at the moment, or without previous study; an extemporaneous composition.Im-prōp'er, a. p. 668Not proper; not suitable; not fitted to the circumstances, design, or end; unfit; not becoming; indecent; as, an improper medicine, regulation, &c.; improper behavior, conduct, language, words, and…Im-prŏp'er-ā'tion, n. p. 668The act of upbraiding or taunting; a reproach; a taunt. [Obs.] Omitting these improperations and terms of scurrility betwixt us, which only difference our affections, and not our cause. Browne.Im-prŏp'er-ly, adv. p. 668In an improper manner; not fitly; unsuitably; incongruously; inaccurately.Im-prŏp'er-ty, n. p. 668Impropriety. [Obs.]Ĭm'pro-pĭ'tioŭs, a. p. 668Unpropitious. [Obs.] Wotton.Ĭm'pro-pōr'tion-a-ble, a. p. 668Not proportionable. [Obs.] B. Jon.Ĭm'pro-pōr'tion-ate, a. p. 668Not proportionate; not adjusted. [Obs.] Smith, On Old Age.Im-prō'pri-āte, v. t. p. 668To appropriate to private use; to assume. [Obs.] “To impropriate the thanks to himself.” Bacon. 2. (Eng. Eccl. Law.) To place the profits of, for care and disbursement, in the hands of a layman; —…Im-prō'pri-ate, a. p. 668(Eng. Eccl. Law.) Devolved into the hands of a layman; impropriated.Im-prō'pri-ā'tion, n. p. 668The act of impropriating; as, the impropriation of property or tithes; especially, (Eng. Eccl. Law.) (a.) The act of putting an ecclesiastical benefice in the hands of a layman, or lay corporation.…Im-prō'pri-ā'tor, n. p. 668One who impropriates; especially, a layman who has possession of the lands of the church, or an ecclesiastical living. Ayliffe.Im-prō'pri-ā'trix, n. p. 668A woman who impropriates, or who holds possession of church lands.Ĭm'pro-prī'e-ty, n. p. 668The quality of being improper; unfitness or unsuitableness to character, time, place, or circumstances; as, impropriety of behavior or manners. 2. That which is improper; an unsuitable act…Ĭm'pros-pĕr'i-ty, n. p. 668Want of prosperity or success. [Obs.]Im-prŏs'per-oŭs, a. p. 668Not prosperous; not successful; unfortunate; as, an improsperous undertaking or voyage. [Obs.] Dryden.Im-prŏs'per-oŭs-ly, adv. p. 668In an improsperous manner; unprosperously. [Obs.] Boyle.Im-prŏs'per-oŭs-ness, n. p. 668Want of prosperity; ill success. [Obs.] Hammond.Im-prov'a-bĭl'i-ty, n. p. 668The state or quality of being capable of improvement; susceptibility of being made better.Im-prov'a-ble, a. p. 668Capable of being improved; susceptible of improvement; admitting of being made better; advanceable in good qualities. Man is accommodated with moral principles, improvable by the exercise of his…Im-prov'a-ble-ness, n. p. 668Susceptibility of improvement; capableness of being made better, or of being used to advantage.Im-prov'a-bly, adv. p. 668In a manner that admits of improvement.Im-prove', v. t. p. 668To disprove or make void. [Obs.] Neither can any of them make so strong a reason which another can not improve. Tyndale. 2. To disapprove; to find fault with; to reprove; as, to improve negligence.…Im-prove', v. t. p. 668To make better; to advance in value or good qualities; to ameliorate by care or cultivation; as, to improve land, talents, &c. Manure thyself, then; to thyself be improved; And with vain, outward…Im-prove', v. i. p. 668To grow better; to advance or make progress in what is desirable; to make or show improvement. We take care to improve in our frugality and diligence. Atterbury. 2. To advance or progress in bad…Im-prov'e'ment, n. p. 668The act of improving, or the state of being improved; advancement in growth, or promotion of growth, in desirable qualities; progress toward what is better; melioration; as, the improvement of the…Im-prōv'er, n. p. 668One who, or that which, improves. W. Scott.Ĭm′pro-vīde′, v. t. p. 668Not to provide against; not to foresee or expect. [Obs.] Spenser.Im-prōv'i-dence, n. p. 668The quality of being improvident; want of providence or forecast; neglect of foresight.Im-prōv'i-dent, a. p. 668Not provident; wanting forecast; not foreseeing, or provided for or against what will happen in future time; negligent; thoughtless. Improvident soldiers! had your watch been good, This sudden…Im-prŏv′i-dĕn′tial-ly, adv. p. 668Improvidently; carelessly. Prof. Wilson.Im-prŏv'-i-dent-ly, adv. p. 668In an improvident manner; without foresight or forecast.Im-prōv'ing-ly, adv. p. 668In an improving manner.Im-prŏv'i-sate, a. p. 668Unpremeditated; impromptu.Im-prŏv'-i-sāte, v. t. or i. p. 668To compose and utter extemporaneously; to improvise.Im-prŏv/i-sā'/tion, n. p. 668The act or art of making poetry, or performing music extemporaneously. 2. That which is improvised; an impromptu.Ĭm′/pro-vĭs′/a-tīze, v. t. or i. p. 668The same as Improvisate.Ĭm'pro-vĭs'a-tor, n. p. 668One who improvisates or improvises; an improviser.Im-prŏv′ĭ-sa-tō′re, n. p. 668See IMPROVVISATORE.Im-prŏv'i-sa-tō'ri-al or Im-prŏv'i-sa-to-ry, a. p. 668Relating to extemporary composition of rhymes.Im-prōv'i-sa-tri'ce, n. p. 668See IMPROVVISATRICE.Ĭm′pro-vīse′, v. t. p. 668To speak extemporaneously, especially in verse. 2. To bring about on a sudden, off-hand, or without previous preparation. Charles attempted to improvise a peace. Motley.Im'pro-vīse', v. i. p. 669To utter compositions, especially in verse, without previous preparation; hence, to do any thing off-hand; as, to improvise successfully.Ĭm’pro-vĭz’er, n. p. 669One who improvises; an improvisator.Im'pro-vi'sion, n. p. 669Want of forecast; improvidence. [Obs.] Browne.Im'pro-vī'so, a. p. 669Not prepared or meditated beforehand; extemporaneous; impromptu. [Obs.] Johnson.Im·prŏv'ĭ·sa·tō're, n. p. 669A man who composes and sings or recites rhymes and short poems extemporaneously and immediately. [Written also improvisatore.]Im-prŏv'vĕ-sa-trĭ'ce, n. p. 669A woman who composes and sings or recites rhymes or short poems extemporaneously. [Written also improvisatrice.]Im-prū'dence, n. p. 669The quality of being imprudent; want of prudence; indiscretion; want of caution, circumspection, or a due regard to consequences; heedlessness; inconsideration; rashness. His serenity was…Im-pru'dent, a. p. 669Not prudent; wanting prudence or discretion; indiscreet; injudicious; not attentive to consequences; rash; heedless. Her majesty took a great dislike at the imprudent behavior of many of the…Im-prū'dent-ly, adv. p. 669In an imprudent manner; indiscreetly.