IMPROVE1 to become better2 to make something better3 to keep improving something until it is perfect4 to add a good quality to something5 when something improvesRELATED WORDSoppositeWORSEsee alsoGOODBESTBETTER1 to become better 变得更好get better /get ˈbetəʳ/ [verb phrase]especially spoken I hope the weather gets better soon. 我希望天气快些好转。get a lot better The first part of the book is pretty boring, but it gets a lot better as the story goes on. 这本书的第一部分挺无聊的，但随着故事的发展就好看多了。things get bettera situation gets better 情况好转 If things don't get better, we may end up having to sell the house. 假如情况不见好转，我们也许最后只好把房子卖掉。get better and bettercontinue to get better 变得越来越好 I don't mind training hard, because you get better and better all the time. 我不介意进行刻苦训练，因为这样的话你就一直在进步。improve /ɪmˈpruːv/ [intransitive verb]especially writtento get better 【尤口】提高，变好，改善 In the weeks that followed, his health continued to improve. 随后几个星期，他的健康状况在不断改善。 Some wines improve with age. 有些酒存放的时间越久就越香醇。improve dramatically/greatly etc Conditions in prisons have improved dramatically in the last 20 years. 最近20年来，监狱的条件有了极大的改善。catch up /ˌkætʃ ˈʌp/ [intransitive/transitive phrasal verb]to improve so that you reach the same standard as other people in your class, group etc 〔水平〕赶上 If you miss a lot of school, it will be very difficult to catch up. 如果你缺课太多，就很难赶上去。catch up with Although she had never studied German before, Jane soon caught up with the others. 虽然简从未学过德语，但很快就赶上了其他人。catch somebody up The other players in the team are better than me, but I'm slowly catching them up. 队里的其他队员比我好，但我在慢慢地赶上他们。pick up /ˌpɪk ˈʌp/ [intransitive phrasal verb]if a business or economic situationpicks up, it improves after a period without much business activity 〔企业或经济状况在萧条一段时间之后〕好转 Financial commentators think we'll see the economy starting to pick up early next year. 经济评论家认为明年年初我们会看到经济开始好转。 Sales were very slow in the first half of the year, but business is beginning to pick up now. 今年上半年的销售情况很疲软，但现在生意开始好了。things are looking up /ˌθɪŋz əːʳ ˌlʊkɪŋ ˈʌp/spokensay this when good things have started to happen to you, and your life seems much better than it was 【口】〔生活〕状况已有好转 Things are looking up - I've got a new job and a new boyfriend. 情况已有好转一—我找到了一份新工作和一个新男友。2 to make something better 使某事更好improve /ɪmˈpruːv/ [transitive verb]to make something better 提高，改进 I wanted to improve my French, so I got a job in Paris. 我要提高我的法语水平，因此在巴黎找了一份工作。 The funds will go towards improving road and rail services. 这笔经费将用来改善公路和铁路运输服务状况。 By managing natural resources more effectively, our quality of human life could be improved greatly. 通过对自然资源更有效的管理，我们人类的生活质量可以大大改善。make something better /ˌmeɪk something ˈbetəʳ/ [verb phrase]to improve a situation or improve someone's life 改善某事 Instead of making the traffic situation better, the new road has just made things worse. 新马路不但没有使交通状况得到改善，反而使情况恶化了。 You won't make things any better by worrying about them. 担心于事无补。 Have computers really made life better for everyone? 电脑真的使每个人的生活得到改善了吗？make improvements /ˌmeɪk ɪmˈpruːvmənts/ [verb phrase]to make changes to something or add things to it in order to make it better, more useful, or more effective 作改进 After we've made a few improvements, the software should be fine. 等我们作一些改进后，这个软件应该很好了。make improvements to Several improvements have been made to the original designs. 已经对原来的设计作了几处改进。 They made a lot of improvements to the house after they moved in. 他们搬进去之后对房子进行了大量改建。knock something into shapeBritish/whip something into shapeespecially American /ˌnɒk something ɪntə ˈʃeɪpǁˌnɑːk-, ˌwɪp something ɪntə ˈʃeɪp/ [verb phrase]informalto make changes to something in order to make it good enough 【非正式】使像样；整顿某事物 We've only got one week left to knock the play into shape. 我们只剩一周时间把该剧完善好。 The new Chief Executive is whipping the company into shape and making it more competitive. 新的总裁正在整顿公司，使其更具竞争力。upgrade /ˌʌpˈgreɪd/ [transitive verb]to improve something such as machinery, a building, or a system by making it more modern, effective, and successful 提高；改进〔机器、建筑或系统等〕 The city has recently spent $3 million on upgrading its sports stadium. 市里最近花了300万美元改善体育场的设施。 It was decided that the entire computer system should be upgraded. 已决定将整个电脑系统升级。 Since July, the airport has upgraded security measures, at a cost of $560,000. 从7月份开始，该机场已加强了保安措施，花费为560，000美元。streamline /ˈstriːmlaɪn/ [transitive verb]to improve a system or process by making it more simple and therefore faster and more effective 精简〔系统或程序〕；使合理化；使效率更高 The new system is an attempt to streamline the decision-making process. 这一新系统是简化决策过程的一次尝试。 Apple is going to streamline its operations and concentrate development efforts on the Internet and multimedia. 苹果公司打算简化其业务并集中开发互联网和多媒体技术。streamlined [adjective] The IMF has adopted a streamlined procedure for doling out emergency loans. 国际货币基金组织已采用一个精简程序来发放紧急贷款。clean up /ˌkliːn ˈʌp/ [transitive phrasal verb]to improve standards of behaviour in a place or organization, especially by removing dishonest or criminal people 整顿，整治〔地方或组织〕clean up something It's time someone cleaned up this city; we have one of the highest crime rates in the country. 这个城市该整治一下了；我们这里的犯罪率在全国位居前列。 Most clubs have made a big effort to clean up football's image. 大部分俱乐部都花了大力气来改善足球形象。clean something up The management of some our prisons has sometimes been corrupt, and it is our job to clean it up. 我们一些监狱的管理层有时候会有贪污现象，对其进行整治则正是我们的工作。brush up (on)alsobrush up somethingBritish /ˌbrʌʃ ˈʌp ɒn, ˌbrʌʃ ˈʌp/ [transitive phrasal verb]especially spokento practise doing something that you have not done for a long time in order to try to improve it 【尤口】温习，重新学习 I'd like to brush up on my Italian before our trip. 我们去旅行之前，我想温习一下意大利语。 Public libraries frequently have computers that people can use to brush up their IT skills. 公共图书馆常常有电脑可供大家温习信息技术的技能。3 to keep improving something until it is perfect 不断改进某事物直到尽善尽美perfect /pəʳˈfekt/ [transitive verb]to improve something such as a skill, system, or something you have designed until you make it perfect 使完美；完善〔技巧、系统或设计等〕 The best way to perfect your Spanish is to live in a country where it's spoken. 完善西班牙语能力的最佳办法是到说西班牙语的国家去居住。 The Chief Executive of the company said that they had spent ten years on perfecting the product. 这家公司的总经理说他们花了十年时间来完善这一产品。perfect the art/technique etc (of doing something) Dom Perignon perfected the art of blending wines from many different vineyards. 多姆·佩里尼翁使混合各种葡萄园产葡萄酒的艺术臻于完善。refine /rɪˈfaɪn/ [transitive verb]to make something as good as possible by checking it again and again and making small changes each time until you are satisfied 改进，对…精益求精 Volvo spent three years refining the design of their new car. 沃尔沃公司花了三年时间来完善其新车的设计。 It was a four week course, aimed at refining our understanding of the managerial role. 这是为期四周的培训课程，旨在提高我们对管理职责的认识。refinement [countable noun] The new proposal is basically a refinement of an earlier scheme. 这个新的提议基本上是早前计划的改进版。fine-tune /ˌfaɪn ˈtjuːnǁ-ˈtuːn/ [transitive verb]to make small changes to a plan or system that is already good, so that it works as well as possible 对〔计划或系统〕作细致的改进；使尽善尽美 You've established the general direction you want to go in, now you need to fine-tune your plans. 你已确定了总目标，现在你需要对你的计划作些微调。 The election campaign had to be constantly fine-tuned so that the right message got across. 竞选活动要经常改进以便传达正确的信息。fine-tuning [uncountable noun] We have developed an efficient banking service, but there is scope for further fine-tuning of the system. 我们已开发了一种高效的银行服务，但该系统要达到完善仍有需要改进之处。4 to add a good quality to something 为某物增添高质量enhance /ɪnˈhɑːnsǁɪnˈhæns/ [transitive verb not usually in progressive]to make a good quality in something even more attractive, enjoyable etc 提高；增进〔好的品质〕 You can enhance the flavour of most dishes with the careful use of herbs. 通过精心选用各种香草可以增加大多数菜肴的美味。 Low lighting and soft music enhanced the atmosphere in the room. 幽暗的照明和柔美的音乐增添了这个房间的气氛。enrich /ɪnˈrɪtʃ/ [transitive verb not usually in progressive]to add a quality that makes something much more interesting, valuable etc 充实，丰富 People who have fame and money usually search for something else to enrich their lives. 有名望又有钱的人一般会寻求些别的东西来丰富自己的生活。 Most people agree that immigrant communities enrich our culture. 大多数人都同意说移民社区丰富了我们的文化。make /meɪk/ [transitive verb not in progressive or passive]informalto provide the special quality that makes something completely enjoyable, attractive, or successful 【非正式】使增色；使成功 The right curtains can make a room. 合适的窗帘能够使房间更漂亮。 For me, the trip to Caracas made the holiday. 对我来说，加拉加斯之行为我的假期增色不少。5 when something improves 某物得到改进improvement /ɪmˈpruːvmənt/ [countable/uncountable noun]a change that makes something better 改进，提高 I'm afraid if you don't show some improvement soon we won't be entering you for the exam. 我想如果你不能很快表现出有所进步，我们就不会让你参加考试。 You'll see that there's been a remarkable improvement in recent weeks. 你将看到近几个星期以来已有了显著的改进。improvement in Have you noticed any improvement in his work? 你注意到他的工作有什么进步吗？ Accidents have become less frequent, thanks to recent improvements in our safety checks. 由于我们近来改进了安全检查，事故的发生率降低了。a big/great/tremendous improvement There's been a great improvement in the team's performance over the last three games. 该队在最近的三场比赛中表现有很大进步。improvement to We had to borrow money to pay for all the improvements to our home. 我们得借钱来支付我们房子的所有装修费用。design/home/performance etc improvements Design improvements in the computer system have greatly increased our efficiency. 电脑系统设计上的改进大大提高了我们的效率。advance /ədˈvɑːnsǁədˈvæns/ [countable noun usually plural]an important new idea or way of doing something, especially in science 进步，进展〔尤指科学方面〕advance in Advances in medical science may make it possible for people to live for 150 years. 医学的进步也许能使人活到150岁。a big/enormous/major advance The last 20 years have seen enormous advances in communications technology. 近20年来通信技术有了极大的进步。