improve

improve
improve
A vtr
1 (qualitatively) améliorer [conditions, hygiene, efficiency, appearance, diet, quality, relations] ; to improve one's German se perfectionner en allemand ; improve your memory améliorez votre mémoire ; the new arrangements did not improve matters les nouveaux accords n'ont pas arrangé les choses ; to improve one's mind se cultiver (l'esprit) ; to improve one's lot améliorer son sort ; to improve the lot of the disabled/of pensioners améliorer les conditions de vie des handicapés/des retraités ;
2 (quantitatively) (increase) augmenter [wages] ; accroître [productivity, output, profits] ; to improve one's chances of winning/of getting of a job augmenter ses chances de gagner/d'obtenir un travail ;
3 Archit, Constr aménager [building, site] ;
4 Agric amender [soil] ; accroître [yield].
B improved pp adj
1 (better) [diet, efficiency, conditions] amélioré ; improved access accès facilité ; new improved formula Comm nouvelle formule améliorée ;
2 (increased) [offer] meilleur.
C vi
1 [relations, health, handwriting, weather] s'améliorer ; to improve with age [cake, wine] s'améliorer avec le temps ; the cake/wine will improve in flavour le gâteau/le vin s'améliorera ; living conditions have improved greatly over the past twenty years les conditions de vie se sont beaucoup améliorées ces vingt dernières années ; your Spanish is improving ton espagnol s'améliore ; things are improving la situation s'améliore ; he's improving Med son état s'améliore, il va mieux ;
2 to improve on (better) améliorer [score] ; renchérir sur [offer] ; she has improved on last year's result elle a obtenu de meilleurs résultats que l'année dernière ;
3 (increase) [productivity, profits] augmenter ;
4 Agric [yield] augmenter.

Big English-French dictionary. 2003.

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