im|pro|pri|ety / I mprəpra I I ti/ (improprieties ) N‑VAR Impropriety is improper behaviour. [FORMAL ] □ He resigned amid allegations of financial impropriety.
im|prov / I mprɒv/ N‑UNCOUNT Improv is acting or singing in which someone invents the words or music as they speak. Improv is an abbreviation for 'improvisation'. [INFORMAL ]
im|prove ◆◆◇ / I mpruː v/ (improves , improving , improved )
1 VERB If something improves or if you improve it, it gets better. □ [V ] Both the texture and condition of your hair should improve. □ [V n] Time won't improve the situation.
2 VERB If a skill you have improves or you improve a skill, you get better at it. □ [V ] Their French has improved enormously. □ [V n] He said he was going to improve his football.
3 VERB If you improve after an illness or an injury, your health gets better or you get stronger. □ [V ] He had improved so much the doctor had cut his dosage.
4 VERB If you improve on a previous achievement of your own or of someone else, you achieve a better standard or result. □ [V + on ] We need to improve on our performance against France. COLLOCATIONS improve VERB 1
improve + noun : efficiency, performance, quality, safety; condition, health; relations; service, standards
improve + adverb : considerably, greatly, markedly, significantly, substantially; dramatically, enormously, massively
im|prove|ment ◆◇◇ / I mpruː vmənt/ (improvements )
1 N‑VAR If there is an improvement in something, it becomes better. If you make improvements to something, you make it better. □ [+ in ] …the dramatic improvements in organ transplantation in recent years.
2 N‑COUNT [usu sing] If you say that something is an improvement on a previous thing or situation, you mean that it is better than that thing. □ [+ on ] The new Prime Minister is an improvement on his predecessor.
im|pro|vise / I mprəva I z/ (improvises , improvising , improvised )
1 VERB If you improvise , you make or do something using whatever you have or without having planned it in advance. □ [V ] You need a wok with a steaming rack for this; if you don't have one, improvise. □ [V n] The vet had improvised a harness. □ [V -ed] …an improvised stone shelter. ● im|provi|sa|tion / I mprəva I ze I ʃ ə n, [AM ] -v I z-/ (improvisations ) N‑VAR □ Funds were not abundant and clever improvisation was necessary.
2 VERB When performers improvise , they invent music or words as they play, sing, or speak. □ [V ] I asked her what the piece was and she said, 'Oh, I'm just improvising.' □ [V n] Uncle Richard intoned a chapter from the Bible and improvised a prayer. □ [V + on ] I think that the art of a storyteller is to take the story and improvise on it. ● im|provi|sa|tion (improvisations ) N‑VAR □ [+ on ] …an improvisation on 'Jingle Bells'.
im|pru|dent / I mpruː d ə nt/ ADJ If you describe someone's behaviour as imprudent , you think it is not sensible or carefully thought out. [FORMAL ] □ …an imprudent investment.
im|pu|dent / I mpjʊdənt/ ADJ If you describe someone as impudent , you mean they are rude or disrespectful, or do something they have no right to do. [FORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ Some of them were impudent and insulting. ● im|pu|dence N‑UNCOUNT □ One sister had the impudence to wear the other's clothes.
im|pugn / I mpjuː n/ (impugns , impugning , impugned ) VERB If you impugn something such as someone's motives or integrity, you imply that they are not entirely honest or honourable. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] The Secretary's letter questions my veracity and impugns my motives.
im|pulse / I mpʌls/ (impulses )
1 N‑VAR [oft N to-inf] An impulse is a sudden desire to do something. □ Unable to resist the impulse, he glanced at the sea again.
2 N‑COUNT An impulse is a short electrical signal that is sent along a wire or nerve or through the air, usually as one of a series.
3 ADJ [ADJ n] An impulse buy or impulse purchase is something that you decide to buy when you see it, although you had not planned to buy it. □ The curtains were an impulse buy.
4 PHRASE If you do something on impulse , you suddenly decide to do it, without planning it. □ Sean's a fast thinker, and he acts on impulse.
im|pul|sive / I mpʌ ls I v/ ADJ If you describe someone as impulsive , you mean that they do things suddenly without thinking about them carefully first. □ He is too impulsive to be a responsible prime minister. ● im|pul|sive|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ He studied her face for a moment, then said impulsively: 'Let's get married.' ● im|pul|sive|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ The president's impulsiveness often worries his advisers.
im|pu|nity / I mpjuː n I ti/ PHRASE If you say that someone does something with impunity , you disapprove of the fact that they are not punished for doing something bad. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ These gangs operate with apparent impunity.
im|pure / I mpjʊə r / ADJ A substance that is impure is not of good quality because it has other substances mixed with it.
im|pu|rity / I mpjʊə r I ti/ (impurities )
1 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Impurities are substances that are present in small quantities in another substance and make it dirty or of an unacceptable quality. □ The air in the factory is filtered to remove impurities.