Emily Dickinson Lexicon

IM-PROVE'MENT, n. [improov'ment.]

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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. Addison.
4. 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. Addison.
5. Instruction; growth in knowledge or refinement; edification. I look upon your city as the best place of improvement. South.
6. 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. S. Clarke.
7. Practical application; as, the improvement of the doctrines and principles of a sermon. I shall make some improvement of this doctrine. Tillotson. Hence,
8. The part of a discourse intended to enforce and apply the doctrines, is called the improvement.
9. Use; occupancy.
10. Improvements, plur., valuable additions or melioration, as buildings, clearings, drains, fences, &c., on a farm. Kent.