Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Improvise
Imˊpro-vise′
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Improvised
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Improvising
.] [F.
improviser
, it. improvvisare
, fr. improvviso
unprovided, sudden, extempore, L. improvisus
; pref. 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.
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 stoneImˊpro-vise′
,Verb.
I.
To produce or render extemporaneous compositions, especially in verse or in music, without previous preparation; hence, to do anything offhand.
Definition 2024
improvise
improvise
See also: improvisé
English
Verb
improvise (third-person singular simple present improvises, present participle improvising, simple past and past participle improvised)
- To make something up or invent it as one goes on; to proceed guided only by imagination, instinct, and guesswork rather than by a careful plan.
- He had no speech prepared, so he improvised.
- They improvised a simple shelter with branches and the rope they were carrying.
- She improvised a lovely solo.
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations
to make something up as one goes on
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See also
French
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ɛ̃.pʁɔ.viz/
Verb
improvise
- first-person singular present indicative of improviser
- third-person singular present indicative of improviser
- first-person singular present subjunctive of improviser
- first-person singular present subjunctive of improviser
- second-person singular imperative of improviser
Galician
Verb
improvise
- first-person singular present subjunctive of improvisar
- third-person singular present subjunctive of improvisar
Latin
Adjective
imprōvīse
- vocative masculine singular of imprōvīsus
References
- improvise in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- Félix Gaffiot (1934), “improvise”, in Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Paris: Hachette.
Portuguese
Verb
improvise
- first-person singular (eu) present subjunctive of improvisar
- third-person singular (ele and ela, also used with você and others) present subjunctive of improvisar
- third-person singular (você) affirmative imperative of improvisar
- third-person singular (você) negative imperative of improvisar
Spanish
Verb
improvise
- First-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of improvisar.
- Formal second-person singular (usted) present subjunctive form of improvisar.
- Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted?) present subjunctive form of improvisar.