Impropriation Imˇpro`priˇa"tion noun 1. The act of impropriating; as, the impropriation of property or tithes; also, that which is impropriated.

2. (Eng. Eccl. Law) (a) The act of putting an ecclesiastical benefice in the hands of a layman, or lay corporation. (b) A benefice in the hands of a layman, or of a lay corporation.

Impropriator Imˇpro"priˇa`tor noun One who impropriates; specifically, a layman in possession of church property.

Impropriatrix Imˇpro`priˇa"trix noun ; plural English -trixes , Latin -trices A female impropriator.

Impropriety Im`proˇpri"eˇty noun ; plural Improprieties . [ Latin improprietas ; confer French impropriété . See Improper .] 1. The 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 or improper act, or an inaccurate use of language.

But every language has likewise its improprieties and absurdities.

Johnson.

Many gross improprieties , however authorized by practice, ought to be discarded.

Swift.

Improsperity Im`prosˇper"iˇty noun [ Confer French improspérité .] Want of prosperity. [ Obsolete]

Improsperous Imˇpros"perˇous adjective [ Prefix im- not + prosperous : confer French improspčre , Latin improsper .] Not prosperous. [ Obsolete] Dryden. - - Im*pros"per*ous*ly , adverb [ Obsolete] -- Im*pros"per*ous*ness , noun [ Obsolete]

Improvability Imˇprov`aˇbil"iˇty noun The state or quality of being improvable; improvableness.

Improvable Imˇprov"aˇble adjective [ From Improve .] 1. Capable of being improved; susceptible of improvement; admitting of being made better; capable of cultivation, or of being advanced in good qualities.

Man is accommodated with moral principles, improvable by the exercise of his faculties.

Sir M. Hale.

I have a fine spread of improvable lands.

Addison.

2. Capable of being used to advantage; profitable; serviceable; advantageous.

The essays of weaker heads afford improvable hints to better.

Sir T. Browne.

-- Im*pro"a*ble*ness , noun -- Im*prov"a*bly , adverb

Improve Imˇprove" transitive verb [ Prefix im- not + prove : confer Latin improbare , French improuver .] 1. To disprove or make void; to refute. [ Obsolete]

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; to censure; as, to improve negligence. [ Obsolete] Chapman.

When he rehearsed his preachings and his doing unto the high apostles, they could improve nothing.

Tyndale.

Improve Imˇprove" transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Improved ; present participle & verbal noun Improving .] [ Prefix in- in + prove , in approve. See Approve , Prove. ] 1. To make better; to increase the value or good qualities of; to ameliorate by care or cultivation; as, to improve land. Donne.

I love not to improve the honor of the living by impairing that of the dead.

Denham.

2. To use or employ to good purpose; to make productive; to turn to profitable account; to utilize; as, to improve one's time; to improve his means. Shak.

We shall especially honor God by improving diligently the talents which God hath committed to us.

Barrow.

A hint that I do not remember to have seen opened and improved .

Addison.

The court seldom fails to improve the opportunity.

Blackstone.

How doth the little busy bee
Improve each shining hour.

I. Watts.

Those moments were diligently improved .

Gibbon.

True policy, as well as good faith, in my opinion, binds us to improve the occasion.

Washington.

3. To advance or increase by use; to augment or add to; -- said with reference to what is bad. [ R.]

We all have, I fear, . . . not a little improved the wretched inheritance of our ancestors.

Bp. Porteus.

Syn. -- To better; meliorate; ameliorate; advance; heighten; mend; correct; rectify; amend; reform.

Improve Imˇprove" intransitive verb 1. To grow better; to advance or make progress in what is desirable; to make or show improvement; as, to improve in health.

We take care to improve in our frugality and diligence.

Atterbury.

2. To advance or progress in bad qualities; to grow worse. "Domitian improved in cruelty." Milner.

3. To increase; to be enhanced; to rise in value; as, the price of cotton improves .

To improve on or upon , to make useful additions or amendments to, or changes in; to bring nearer to perfection; as, to improve on the mode of tillage.

Improvement Imˇprove"ment noun 1. The act of improving; advancement or growth; promotion in desirable qualities; progress toward what is better; melioration; as, the improvement of the mind, of land, roads, etc.

I look upon your city as the best place of improvement .

South.

Exercise is the chief source of improvement in all our faculties.

Blair.

2. The act of making profitable use or applicaton of anything, or the state of being profitably employed; a turning to good account; practical application, as of a doctrine, principle, or theory, stated in a discourse. "A good improvement of his reason." S. Clarke.

I shall make some improvement of this doctrine.

Tillotson.

3. The state of being improved; betterment; advance; also, that which is improved; as, the new edition is an improvement on the old.

The parts of Sinon, Camilla, and some few others, are improvements on the Greek poet.

Addison.

4. Increase; growth; progress; advance.

There is a design of publishing the history of architecture, with its several improvements and decays.

Addison.

Those vices which more particularly receive improvement by prosperity.

South.

5. plural Valuable additions or betterments, as buildings, clearings, drains, fences, etc., on premises.

6. (Patent Laws) A useful addition to, or modification of, a machine, manufacture, or composition. Kent.

Improver Imˇprov"er noun One who, or that which, improves.

Improvided Im`proˇvid"ed adjective Unforeseen; unexpected; not provided against; unprepared. [ Obsolete]

All improvided for dread of death.

E. Hall.

Improvidence Imˇprov"iˇdence noun [ Latin improvidentia ; Old French improvidence . Confer Imprudence .] The quality of being improvident; want of foresight or thrift.

The improvidence of my neighbor must not make me inhuman.

L'Estrange.

Improvident Imˇprov"iˇdent adjective [ Prefix im- not + provident : confer Latin improvidus . See Provident , and confer Imprudent .] Not provident; wanting foresight or forethought; not foreseeing or providing for the future; negligent; thoughtless; as, an improvident man.

Improvident soldiers! had your watch been good,
This sudden mischief never could have fallen.

Shak.

Syn. -- Inconsiderable; negligent; careless; shiftless; prodigal; wasteful.

Improvidentially Imˇprov`iˇden"tialˇly adverb Improvidently. [ R.]

Improvidently Imˇprov"iˇdentˇly adverb In a improvident manner. " Improvidently rash." Drayton.

Improving Imˇprov"ing adjective Tending to improve, beneficial; growing better. -- Im*prov"ing*ly , adverb

Improving lease (Scots Law) , an extended lease to induce the tenant to make improvements on the premises.

Improvisate Imˇprov"iˇsate adjective [ See Improvise .] Unpremeditated; impromptu; extempore. [ R.]

Improvisate Imˇprov"iˇsate transitive verb & i. [ imperfect & past participle Improvisated ; present participle & verbal noun Improvisating .] To improvise; to extemporize.

Improvisation Imˇprov`iˇsa"tion noun [ Confer French improvisation .] 1. The act or art of composing and rendering music, poetry, and the like, extemporaneously; as, improvisation on the organ.

2. That which is improvised; an impromptu.

Improvisatize Im`proˇvis"aˇtize transitive verb & i. Same as Improvisate .

Improvisator Imˇprov"iˇsa`tor noun An improviser, or improvvisatore.

Improvisatore Im`proˇvi`saˇto"re noun See Improvvisatore .

Improvisatorial, Improvisatory Imˇprov`iˇsaˇto"riˇal, Imˇprov"iˇsaˇtoˇry adjective Of or pertaining to improvisation or extemporaneous composition.

Improvisatrice Im`proˇvi`saˇtri"ce noun See Improvvisatrice .

Improvise Im`proˇvise" transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Improvised ; present participle & verbal noun Improvising .] [ French improviser , it. improvvisare , from improvviso unprovided, sudden, extempore, Latin improvisus ; prefix im- not + provisus foreseen, provided. See Proviso .] 1. To compose, recite, or sing extemporaneously, especially in verse; to extemporize; also, to play upon an instrument, or to act, extemporaneously.

2. To bring about, arrange, or make, on a sudden, or without previous preparation.

Charles attempted to improvise a peace.

Motley.

3. To invent, or provide, offhand, or on the spur of the moment; as, he improvised a hammer out of a stone.

Improvise Im`proˇvise" intransitive verb To produce or render extemporaneous compositions, especially in verse or in music, without previous preparation; hence, to do anything offhand.

Improviser Im`proˇvis"er noun One who improvises.

Improvision Im`proˇvi"sion noun [ Prefix im- not + provision .] Improvidence. [ Obsolete] Sir T. Browne.

Improviso Im`proˇvi"so adjective [ Latin improvisus unforeseen; confer Italian improvviso .] Not prepared or mediated beforehand; extemporaneous. [ Obsolete] Jonhson.

Improvvisatore Im`provˇvi`saˇto"re noun ; plural Improvvisatori . [ Italian See Improvise .] One who composes and sings or recites rhymes and short poems extemporaneously. [ Written also improvisatore .]

Improvvisatrice Im`provˇvi`saˇtri"ce noun ; plural Improvvisatrici . [ Italian See Improvise .] A female improvvisatore. [ Written also improvisatrice .]

Imprudence Imˇpru"dence noun [ Latin imprudentia : confer French imprudence . Confer Improvidence .] The quality or state of being imprudent; want to caution, circumspection, or a due regard to consequences; indiscretion; inconsideration; rashness; also, an imprudent act; as, he was guilty of an imprudence .

His serenity was interrupted, perhaps, by his own imprudence .

Mickle.

Imprudent Imˇpru"dent adjective [ Latin imprudens ; prefix im- not + prudens prudent: confer French imprudent . See Prudent , and confer Improvident .] Not prudent; wanting in prudence or discretion; indiscreet; injudicious; not attentive to consequence; improper. -- Im*pru"dent*ly , adverb

Her majesty took a great dislike at the imprudent behavior of many of the ministers and readers.

Strype.

Syn. -- Indiscreet; injudicious; incautious; ill-advised; unwise; heedless; careless; rash; negligent.

Impuberal Imˇpu"berˇal (ĭm*pū"bẽr* a l) adjective Not having arrived at puberty; immature.

In impuberal animals the cerebellum is, in proportion to the brain proper, greatly less than in adults.

Sir W. Hamilton.

Impuberty Imˇpu"berˇty (-tȳ) noun The condition of not having reached puberty, or the age of ability to reproduce one's species; want of age at which the marriage contract can be legally entered into.

Impudence Im"puˇdence (ĭm"pu*d e ns) noun [ Latin impudentia : confer French impudence . See Impudent .] The quality of being impudent; assurance, accompanied with a disregard of the presence or opinions of others; shamelessness; forwardness; want of modesty.

Clear truths that their own evidence forces us to admit, or common experience makes it impudence to deny.

Locke.

Where pride and impudence (in fashion knit)
Usurp the chair of wit.

B. Jonson.

Syn. -- Shamelessness; audacity; insolence; effrontery; sauciness; impertinence; pertness; rudeness. -- Impudence , Effrontery , Sauciness . Impudence refers more especially to the feelings as manifested in action. Effrontery applies to some gross and public exhibition of shamelessness. Sauciness refers to a sudden pert outbreak of impudence, especially from an inferior. Impudence is an unblushing kind of impertinence, and may be manifested in words, tones, gestures, looks, etc. Effrontery rises still higher, and shows a total or shameless disregard of duty or decorum under the circumstances of the case. Sauciness discovers itself toward particular individuals, in certain relations; as in the case of servants who are saucy to their masters, or children who are saucy to their teachers. See Impertinent , and Insolent .

Impudency Im"puˇdenˇcy noun Impudence. [ Obsolete] Burton.

Audacious without impudency .

Shak.

Impudent Im"puˇdent adjective [ Latin impudens , -entis ; prefix im- not + pudens ashamed, modest, present participle of pudere to feel shame: confer French impudent .] Bold, with contempt or disregard; unblushingly forward; impertinent; wanting modesty; shameless; saucy.

More than impudent sauciness.

Shak.

When we behold an angel, not to fear
Is to be impudent .

Dryden.

Syn. -- Shameless; audacious; brazen; bold-faced; pert; immodest; rude; saucy; impertinent; insolent.

Impudently Im"puˇdentˇly adverb In an impudent manner; with unbecoming assurance; shamelessly.

At once assail
With open mouths, and impudently rail.

Sandys.

Impudicity Im`puˇdic"iˇty noun [ Latin impudicus immodest; im- not + pudicus shamefaced, modest: confer French impudicité , Latin impudicitia .] Immodesty. Sheldon.

Impugn Imˇpugn" transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Impugned ; present participle & verbal noun Impugning .] [ Middle English impugnen , French impugner , from Latin impugnare ; in on, against + pugnare to flight. See Pugnacious .] To attack by words or arguments; to contradict; to assail; to call in question; to make insinuations against; to gainsay; to oppose.

The truth hereof I will not rashly impugn , or overboldly affirm.

Peacham.

Impugnable Imˇpugn"aˇble adjective Capable of being impugned; that may be gainsaid.

Impugnation Im`pugˇna"tion noun [ Latin impugnatio : confer Old French impugnation .] Act of impugning; opposition; attack. [ Obsolete]

A perpetual impugnation and self- conflict.

Bp. Hall.

Impugner Imˇpugn"er noun One who impugns.

Impugnment Imˇpugn"ment noun The act of impugning, or the state of being impugned. Ed. Rev.

Impuissance Imˇpu"isˇsance noun [ Confer French impuissance .] Lack of power; inability. Bacon.

Their own impuissance and weakness.

Holland.

Impuissant Imˇpu"isˇsant adjective [ French, from prefix im- not + puissant . See Puissant .] Weak; impotent; feeble.

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