improvement

IMPROVEMENT, noun improov'ment. Advancement in moral worth, learning, wisdom, skill or other excellence; as the improvement of the mind or of the heart by cultivation; improvement in classical learning, science or mechanical skill; improvement in music; improvement in holiness. 1. Melioration; a making or growing better, or more valuable; as the improvement of barren or exhausted land; the improvement of the roads; the improvement of the breed of horses or cattle. 2. A valuable addition; excellence added, or a change for the better; sometimes with on. The parts of Sinon, Camilla, and some few others, are improvements on the Greek poet. 3. Advance or progress from any state to a better. There is a design of publishing the history of architecture, with its several improvements and decays. 4. Instruction; growth in knowledge or refinement; edification. I look upon your city as the best place of improvement 5. Use or employment to beneficial purposes; a turning to good account; as the improvement of natural advantages or spiritual privileges. A good improvement of his reason. 6. Practical application; as the improvement of the doctrines and principles of a sermon. I shall make some improvement of this doctrine. Hence, 7. The part of a discourse intended to enforce and apply the doctrines, is called the improvement 8. Use; occupancy. 9. Improvements, plural , valuable additions or melioration, as building, clearings, drains, fences, etc., on a farm.